RWBY: Memories of V
by SkyRig
Summary: The Belladonnas discover a strange white-haired man on the beach and nurse him back to health. He remembers nothing except his name. As he wanders Remnant and encounters a certain group of Huntresses, V encounters the shadows of his past. Unknown to him, one of his shadows has found its way to Salem. Between Grimm and the demons, is Remnant ready for a new breed of Huntsman?
1. Crimson Cloud

_This story is a work of fiction._

_Any relations to characters, living or dead, are purely coincidental._

_The authors owns none of the characters, or events, that take place here._

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_**"To see the world in a grain of sand,**_  
_**and to see heaven in a wild flower,**_  
_**hold infinity in the palm of your hands,**_  
_**and eternity in an hour."**_

* * *

**RWBY ~ Memories of V**

* * *

_Book 1, Chapter One_

[System Diagnostics Complete. All Systems Green. No Abnormality Detected.]

[Beginning Overworld Observation]

[Receiving Data On World DMC-05]

[Error! Unknown Abnormality Detected]

[Scanning Abnormality]

[Detecting Smallscale Alternate Reality]

[Beginning Retrieval Of Data On Alternate Reality]

[Receiving Data On Alternate Reality]

[Alternate Reality Is Subsidiary To World DMC-05]

[Alternate Reality Designated as World DMC-01]

[Now Commencing Observation Of World DMC-01]

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_"Pow...I...eed...mo...er…!"_

A cold whisper, chilling him down to his bones. Enough to act as the jolt needed to stir him awake. Slowly, dark green eyes fluttered open to find an unfamiliar ceiling above him. At first, he could barely make out any definitive shapes. The world was blurry and the light in his eyes harsh until his eyes adjusted to the brightness. Soon, the world came into sharper focus. He was lying on a couch, sheets tossed over his body. He appeared to be in some kind of living room of Eastern design, tatami mats making up the floor and sliding doors being the only points of entry. A yard was in view to the far side, with a small wooden deck leading out into it.

Gently, the young man pulled himself up from the couch. The sheets fell off his body, reveal a skinny body underneath clad in a thin shirt with baggy sweats below.

"What…?" the young man moaned, feeling a strange haze overwhelm him as his cognitive functions returned to him at a steady pace. "Where is this place?"

No. That wasn't the right question, he soon realized. The real question was, why was he here?

"Oh, you're awake!" He turned his head, white hair swaying comically with the movement, and found a woman entering the room, holding a food tray in her hands. Her hair was as black as the night sky and her eyes the color of gold. The small, but present wrinkles in her face told him that she was well on in her years, but could not be called middle-aged. "I was worried my husband and I might have trudged up a corpse."

The young man frowned slightly. "Who are you?"

"So direct! But I suppose that can't be helped." the woman shrugged, brushing off his hostility as if it was nothing new to her. She approached the young man and laid the food tray down on the table next to him. "My name is Kali Belladonna. Wife to Ghira Belladonna. We also happen to the people responsible for saving your life."

"Saving my life?"

"Yes. We found you lying out in the beach. You were soaked to the bone, not to mention running a high fever."

Kali began to explain the condition she and her husband had found him in. Evidently, they had found him a week ago while they were out performing an inspection of the village's newest construction efforts in expanding across the shallows. His skin had been so pale they believed that he had died until Kali had checked for his pulse. They then proceeded to take him back to their home and nurse him back to full health, despite the fact that they had no reason for doing so. There was no benefit for them.

Kali, perhaps sensing such feelings from him, smiled wryly. "If you're wondering, we saved you because it was the right thing to do. What were we supposed to do, just leave you out to die?" The young man said nothing in response. Instead, he turned his attention to elsewhere. Namely, the food. A pleasant aroma danced in his nostrils and his hunger made itself known. His stomach betrayed his silence and demanded substenance with a growl that could wake the dead. His cheeks burned while the woman laughed. "I suppose that answers the question of whether or not your hungry! Eat up. You look like you could use some meat in those bones. I've never seen a man around my daughter's age look so skinny."

Kali stood up and left, telling him to leave the dishes on the tray after he was finished. He didn't waste much time in delving into it. The mouth-watering smell alone was enough to drive him mad with hunger. The cooked salmon, slightly rough but easy down the throat, exploded in his mouth to the point where he had shoveled the chunks in his mouth until he started coughing. The rice settled easily, unlike the roasted beef and mashed potatoes. The food was prepared in such large quantities he almost believed that she was preparing to feed a party.

In under half an hour, his stomach had consumed all that it could. Only three quarters of the roasted beef was left and the mashed potatoes only half-devoured. He debated saving them for another time and pondered on whether or not he should take the time to explore the house. Though these people had saved his life, he very much doubted they would take so kindly to a stranger snooping about their home. They would have no problems if he stepped out for a moment into the yard, however.

The covers were pulled away, and almost immediately, the young man felt a cold chill wash over him. The air was not so frigid for him to think it was winter time, but instead a side-effect of his fever. His body couldn't regulate his body temperature. Regardless, the cold was a minor inconvenience. His bare feet stepped onto the wooden floor beneath him and he left the room, stepping out into the warm sunlight and the yard.

Judging from the outside architecture, the house was a mixture of Asian design and Hawaiian architecture. A hammock sat in the shade nicely and provided one an excellent view of the ocean., the blue body of water stretching out as far as the eye could see. A small pond with koi fish sat a few feet away from the deck, surrounded by rocks with a tiny tree in the middle. The fish seemed to gather around it, nibbling at the tiny fruits that were sprouting from its branches.

Looking up, the young man found a bright blue sky above him. Clouds floated on by without a care in the world. The sun shined brightly to the point where he had to shield his eyes from its intensity.

"Well, it seems your well enough to walk around on your own." a rough voice called out to him from behind. Looking over his shoulder, the young man found a bear of a man walking up behind him, his broad chest exposed to reveal a fair amount of hair. Like his wife, his eyes were gold and his hair black, though he sported a rather impressive beard along the jaw. His shoulders were broad, and if his guess was right, the man was a fighter judging by how worn his knuckles looked. "How are you feeling? You were sick with a fever for nearly a week."

The young man pondered how to answer. While it was true that he could still feel how weak he was, he didn't think himself weak in the least. "I am better." he said after some thinking. "However, I'm afraid I have no means to repay you for your kindness. I don't think I had any money on my person when you found me."

"No, you didn't." the man said with a wry grin. "My wife and I found you as naked as the day you were born. I'm surprised you hadn't already died of hypothermia when we found you. I'm sure my wife has already told you, but my name is Ghira. Chieftan of Menagerie."

"Menagerie?"

"It's the name of the island we're on. It's quite a ways away from the four kingdoms, and it serves as a safe haven for we Faunus."

The young man raised an eyebrow, wondering what these "Faunus" were before he noticed something unusual. He and Ghira hadn't been quite alone. There were numerous bystanders passing by all around them, paying the duo no mind. Men, women, young, and old, the amount of people was quite staggering. Yet the young man noticed something unique with each and every one of them.

They all had some sort of animalistic traits.

For example, some had ears of mammalian animals while others had tails. Some had scales like a reptile while others had avian wings.

_'What in the world...?'_ the young man stared at them in wonder. They didn't look like add-ons from clips or makeup. They were genuine. Physically attached to their bodies.

Ghira, noticing his stare, raised a brow. "What's the matter?" he questioned. "You look as if you've never seen a Faunus before."

"...I haven't." he admitted, much to the man's surprise. "Do all Faunus have traits like that."

"They do..." he nodded slowly. "Young man, do you...not have any Faunus where you're from?"

The young man opened his mouth to answer...only to snap it closed. His face scrunched up, eyes narrowing. He tried to think of something to say, but his mind kept coming up blank. He dug further, but the answer was the same. There was nothing to grasp. "...I don't know."

"What?"

"I don't remember." the young man hissed, pressing a hand to his face. "I don't remember anything. I don't even know who I am."

* * *

After that startling revelation, Ghira had called for Kali back and fled into another room. Meanwhile, the nameless man was left in the living room, pondering his own situation. His face crunched as he searched his own mind, trying to find something that could help him. Anything, really. But the more he searched, the more he found only blanks. The only things he could make out were vague images, but they were all blurry. There was nothing he could gleam from them. For all he knew, they were just useless memories and nothing more.

He grimaced, facepalming and dragging his hand down his face. "What a mess..." he muttered. "Stranded in a place with odd people, and I cannot remember a single thing. Heh. How troublesome."

_**'I'll say! Talk about bad luck! Hey, who knows? This could be karma for all the shit that happened way back when!'**_

The nameless youth blinked, looking around the room. A mocking voice had spoken, but the source was not present. Stranger still, it sounded as if the voice originated from close by. As if right beside him. Unless someone was invisible, the voice originated from within his own mind.

"What in the world...?"

Before he could confront the owner of the mysterious voice, Ghira and Kali entered the room. "Sorry for the wait." The man apologized.

"It is no issue." The stranger shook his head politely.

Kali sat down on the couch opposite to his, while her husband took a seat next to her. "Regarding your...situation..." Kali began slowly, shifting uncomfortably. It was clear by the look in her eyes that she pitied the poor boy, being unable to remember anything about his past at all. "My husband and I talked it over."

The nameless youth's lips thinned. He supposed they must have been talking about what to do with him. A stranger with no memories, washing ashore on an island with seemingly no normal man in sight? He imagined that he was much more than just a stranger in a foreign land. Especially when he considered the odd looks the people walking by Ghira's home gave him.

"And? What will happen to me?" he inquired.

Ghira waved a hand in assurance. "Nothing horrible. We aren't kicking you out, if that's what has you concerned. You see, humans on Menagerie are a bit of a rarity. True, we get a few tourists every now and then, but for the most part, it's always been just us Faunus living on the island."

"We're still willing to let you stay here until you recover, or at the very least until you can remember something about your past." Kali told him kindly. "I have a friend who's trying to find something she can use to help you. If nothing else, we can always issue you a new citizenship ID."

"I see... Thank you."

"It's of no trouble." the wife smiled. "In truth, it's been a while since we've had a guest over at our home. I do wish it were under better circumstances, though. On that note, we do have something else to discuss. What to call you?"

The young man raised a brow. "I beg your pardon?"

"Do you want us to call you boy, or hey you?" Ghira asked. His expression told the chieftan everything. "You see my point. Can you think of anything you'd like for us to call you by, until you remember your name?"

The nameless youth rubbed his chin. A name, huh? It is true, being addressed by "boy" or "hey you," or god forbid "human" would be quite bad. He found himself irritated at the thought of being called by that last one. He closed his eyes and fell in thought, trying to think of a name to refer to himself by.

_**'Why not V?'**_ the mystery voice cawed out. The young man frowned and glanced around the room, searching for whoever spoke. Neither Ghira or Kali reacted, meaning they couldn't hear it. Only he could hear the voice speak. _**'It's as close to your old name as you can get! Of course, cripple works just as much! Hahahaha!'**_

He wisely chose not to react to that.

"...V." he settled on the voice's suggestion. Strangely, it rolled off the tongue easily. It felt right. He could tell there was more to it than that. There was something else there, at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't quite place it. "You call me V."

The couple stared at the boy. Ghira spoke first with a raised brow. "...V? As in the letter?" The boy replied with a nod. "Are you sure that's what you want us to call you? Why brought it on?"

"I...I'm not sure. To be honest, it was the first thing that popped in my head."

"Well, if you're certain..." Kali seemed a bit confused by his naming choice, but she otherwise accepted it. "By the way, are you still hungry? It's almost time for dinner, and-" A low growl answered her question. V blinked and stared down at his stomach in wonder. The woman laughed. "I suppose that answers my question! I'll get started right away." She stood up and made her way to the door, pausing to look over to Ghira. "Dear, would you mind helping V get settled into the guest room? I imagine its littered with dust."

"Oh, alright..." Ghira grumbled under his breath and stood up from the couch. "Come along. Can't exactly clean the room by myself."

"Yes sir." V nodded as he joined him.

"Now, now. No need to be so formal. Please, call me Ghira." V nodded again and followed him deeper into the house. They walked up a flight of stairs and entered a narrow hallway lined with doors on either side, four in all. Ghira stopped briefly and stared at the second door on the left, eyes softening with sadness before he continued walking until he reached the end of the hall, right where the fourth door was. "This is the guest room." he said as he opened it. "It's a little cluttered and dusty, so we'll have to clean it first. It's also a bit on the small side, unfortunately, so..."

"It will suffice." V assured him. "I'm not exactly in any position to be picky."

* * *

Clean up had taken nearly the whole afternoon. By the time the bags of trash and clutter were removed and cobwebs swept away, the sun had already begun to set. Ghira had left to help Kali with dinner, leaving him alone to become adjusted to the room.

As the chieftain had said, the room was a bit on the small side. The bed was big enough for him to sleep on, and there was a window for him to open if he became stuffy, but there was hardly enough room for him to walk around. There were stacks of books lying against the wall, old tomes from Kali's collection that she had forgotten and had yet to figure out what to do with them. Curious, he decided to open one of them and maybe pass the time.

It had only been ten minutes since he began to read, and already, he was questioning her taste. Some of the scenes he found were...suggestive, to say the least. He was not aware a man's sphincter could become so wide. He wisely decided to return the book to where it belonged and preteneded he never read it.

In the meantime, though, V wanted answers.

"...are you there?"

The mystery voice cackled. _**'Am I here, he asks? 'course I'm still here! I'm practically with you, 24/7!'**_

V narrowed his eyes. "Then show yourself."

At first, there was no response. At least, not verbally. V felt his body burn up from within, as if someone had lit a fire inside, before the tattoos on his body suddenly began to peel away. They turned into a black substance, electricity cackling along as it pulled away from V and near the desk up against the wall, close to the books. The substance swirled into a ball, then collected into a solid form, expanding before becoming a physical shape.

A black bird with blue hues now sat atop the desk, a faint hint of thunder clouds emanating from its form. Its beak was large, easily the size of his hand. Its eyes were yellow, pupils narrow and sharp like a snake's with red markings surrounding them. The beak was lined with sharp fangs, each looking sharp enough to slice through flesh. The inside of its wings had a faint blue glow to them, small sparks of electricity dancing underneath.

V stared at the creature, unsure whether to be surprised or shocked by its appearance.

**"Well?"** the bird spoke in human tongue fluently, as if it was not some sort of bizarre creature that resembled a bird. **"Got nothing to say to the guy who saved your sorry ass?"**

"...what are you?" V finally asked after a moment.

The bird huffed. **"I'm a nightmare. Or, to be more specific, _your_ nightmare. Your big bad dreams, so to speak!"** The beak curved a bit, as if mimicking a smile. **"And I'm what you might call a piss-poor excuse for a demon. But hey, that's neither here nor there. As for a name, well... I guess Griffon will work. I am shaped like the bastard, after all!"**

V narrowed his eyes. The creature called itself a demon. Demon. The word repeated in his head with a sense of anger. He had no idea what it meant, but whatever it was, he felt like he wanted to kill the bird for identifying itself as such. And as much as its voice irritated him, something the bird said caught his attention. "What did you mean by saving me?"

**"I mean what I said, Sherlock."** The avian being repeated. **"It's because of yours truly that you're even still alive and kicking."**

"And what do you mean by that? I need details." V demanded.

Griffon groaned. **"Urgh, fine. Then open up your ears, Shakespeare, cause I'm only gonna say this once. A lot of shit went down, and I mean a _looot_ of shit. The kind a normal human being would be torn to bits by! And to make a long story short, your body couldn't take anymore punishment. You were breaking down, so the only way to save your sorry hide was to try and fix yourself up."** Griffon snorted. **"Except it ended about as well as you'd expect. You lost a lot of your mojo, and your body started to break down even more. If I hadn't made a contract with you, chances are, those two kittens downstairs would have actually found a corpse on the beach, not some shriveled up kid."**

"That...tells me little." V frowned. "What are not telling me?"

**"Hey, I told you what little I know, okay?! I'm not exactly chock full of memories, either!"** Griffon snapped. **"All I remember is that you got your ass handed to you, and you nearly died, okay? And unless we do something soon, you're still gonna die."** V's eyes widened in alarm, making the hellish bird smirk. **"Good, paying attention now? I'm doing my best to keep you from turning into a pile of dust, but unless you find a way to stabilize your body then, well...let's just good ol' V turns into a pile of dust!"**

"But how? How do I even do that?"

**"Beats me."** Griffon shrugged. **"You're gonna have to figure that out on your own. Sorry, not sorry." **V growled at the bird, reaching for its neck. The second he grew close, thunder lapped at his fingers, causing him to recoil.** "Ah, ah, ah~ No touching allowed!"** Griffon laughed.

"Why you-"

A knock came from the door, immediately silencing the two. "V?" Kali's voice came from the other side. "Dinner's ready!"

"...coming!" he replied after a moment. Kali's footsteps faded. He then directed his attention to the hellish bird, glaring at it. "This is not over, parrot."

Griffon squawked indignantly, but gave no other reply before its body lost shape and returned to him, reforming into the tattoos on his skin. V tightened his fist before he exhaled. He left the room and made his way downstairs to what he assumed the dining room would be.

* * *

V's presence on Menagerie, despite being on the island for only a day, had not gone unnoticed. Many civilians who passed by the Chieftain's house took notice of the young white-haired man's presence, a few even voicing their concerns. Numerous citizens recognized the youth as the one that had washed up ashore on the beach and questioned what had happened to him. Ghira had to quell their concerns before it turned to violence. Whenever a human appeared on Menagerie, it typically resulted in growing tensions. There had even been an occasion in which a human tourist had come under attack by a few locals. The attackers in question were promptly arrested and dealt a swift, but harsh punishment and the tourist compensated for his troubles.

What had so many citizens concerned, however, was that unlike the situation with the tourists, this human was in the house of Menagerie's leader. His presence raised a great deal of questions, some even thinking that he was some sort of spy.

One group in particular had an interest in V.

On the other side of the island, located on the border between the town and the wild wilderness, there was a small temple, easily matching the size of the Belladonna estate. Marching around the grounds were men and women in white uniforms, black hoods draped over their heads and silver masks hiding the upper half of their faces. In hand were weapons, ranging from rifles to spears to even swords. Draping the walls leading up to the temple gate, the only entrance to it, were flags bearing an insignia.

A wolf bearing its fangs, with slash marks behind its head.

The White Fang.

Once a peaceful protest group, founded by Ghira himself, its purpose had changed considerably. Ghira had stepped down from his position as leader of the organization, realizing that his duties were best suited to Menagerie's welfare, thus leaving it in the hands of his close friend Sienna Khan. Sienna, having realized that simply raising their voices and holding rallies did little to stop their oppression, opted to instead turn to violence. They attacked stores, stole precious cargo from their oppressors, and openly attacked anyone threatening their fellow Faunus brothers and sisters.

In recent years, however, due to the actions of one Adam Taurus, the White Fang was slowly, and surely, turning towards becoming a terrorist organization.

Among Adam's supporters were the leaders of the White Fang cell in their birthplace of Menagerie. Two brothers, twins with matching features, offered their prayers to a golden idol figure. Unlike the other members of the Fang, they wore red hoods and their faces exposed to the world. Their features were similar to a fox, one having ears and the other a tail swishing from their backside.

Their names were Corsac and Fennec Albain.

They waited patiently as they prayed, heads bowed and hands clasped until they heard their agent arrive. The doors opened with a low creaking groan. A woman stepped inside, hair brown and tied back into a ponytail and her eyes light gray. She wore a black, plum and navy sleeveless suit with short legs. The suit had two parts to the bottom section - a navy blue front panel that matches her belts and a plum color to the rest. The color divided at the center of her thighs. The suit's zipper was gold, and over it, she wore navy blue belts with gold buckles. She wore simple black boots with a cuff and a black glove on her right hand.

The brothers turned around to face the girl, pleasant smiles on their faces. "Ah, sister Ilia." Corsac greeted amicably.

"It has been a while since we last called you here." Fennec said. "How have you been?"

"I have...been better." Ilia Amitola admitted with a frown.

"We understand." Fennec said. "Sister Blake's departure was rather unexpected. I hear the two of you were rather close before the High Leader assigned her beneath Brother Adam's command."

"Y-yes" her gaze was downcast before she lifted her head, her eyes focused once more. "But enough of that. I take it you already heard the news?"

"You mean regarding the human boy under Ghira Belladonna's care?" Corsac stated.

"He just regained consciousness today. Apparently, he has amnesia." she added.

Fennec hummed. "We've heard the same. He was found washed ashore, but to my knowledge, there has been no report of a vessel suddenly vanishing at sea, much less an accident occurring anywhere near Menagerie's waters. For all we know, he could be spying on the Belladonna family."

Ilia frowned. "Why would anyone want to spy on them?" she questioned. "While Ghira may be chieftain of Menagerie, he's long since left the White Fang and has nothing to do with its affairs."

"While that may be true, others may not view as such." Corsac rebutted. "Remember that there are many humans out there willing to pin the blame on others just by pure association. They might be keeping tabs on Ghira simply because he was our former leader."

"To that end..." Fennec continued. "We would like for you to shadow the human. And, if he proves to be a danger..."

The man left his words unfinished, but Ilia understood his meaning. A cold chill crawled up Ilia's back as dread settled in the air. "Y-you mean," she swallowed the lump in her throat. "You want me to _kill_ him?"

"Only as a last resort." Corsac reassured her. "You are free to use force to subdue him. However, if he proves to be...extremely stubborn, then you are free to finish him."

"I..." Ilia looked to the ground. She didn't know what to feel. On the one hand, she was loyal to the cause. She joined the White Fang because they knew the pain she harbored. It was the only place for her. She would do whatever it took in order to make the humans understand their pain. But on the other hand, she would never be so cold or cruel as to try and kill someone. And what if they were wrong? What if the human did have amnesia and was innocent? "I...understand." she eventually got out with a grimace.

Corsac smiled. "Good." he nodded. "We will call you again for a report at a later date. You may go now, sister." Ilia nodded, and slowly left the room. Once she did, the man sighed. "It seems she is still conflicted."

"It may change in the future, brother." Fennec countered, a smile still present on his features. "Blake Belladonna's betrayal has affected her more than she realizes. Just as it has brother Adam. I've heard the High Leader has begun to have trouble reigning him in as of late."

"So I've heard." Corsac muttered. "Still, the appearance of this human is most troubling. We should assign more people to shadow him, just to be on the side of caution."

"Who do you have in mind?"

"What are your thoughts on Sister Trifa?"

Fennec pursed his lips. "Her espionage skills are extraordinary, but I do not think she is best suited to stalking." he confessed. "Why don't we play the waiting game? For now, what of the other matter? The chieftain is growing frustrated by our inability to help catch whoever has been killing our brethren here in the village."

"We are doing all that we can." Corsac answered, albeit with a frown. "I have doubts that the culprit is even human. The way the bodies were found...it's as if a beast tore them to shreds."

"Do you believe a Grimm has found its way into the village?"

His brother sighed deeply. "I pray that is not the case."

* * *

Dinner had been a short affair. V had remained mostly silent and only joined in on conversations whenever he was prompted to or when a subject of interest came up. He managed to learn a bit about his situation, such as the circumstances of the Faunus and what his presence meant here on Menagerie, an island populated entirely by Faunus. There were also the Creatures of Grimm, black beasts that roamed the world that were attracted to negative emotions.

There were other things to consider, but for the most part, V felt that he knew what he needed to get by. For now, he wanted to focus on the matter at hand. He looked at his own hand, marveling at how thin it was. It was also shaking slightly, with the faintest hints of cracks present along the surface of his palm.

"...it seems you weren't spouting nonsense after all, parrot."

_**'I ain't no stinkin' parrot!'**_ Griffon snarled in his head._** 'And you just now noticed?!'**_

"No, I've felt it since I woke up. My body is...strained. It's trying to keep itself together." V muttered, curling his fingers into his palm. "Tell me, how are you keeping me alive?"

_**'I'm using my powers to keep your body together. If I sever the connection for even a split second, then your body will crumble to pieces. And if you die, then I die as well. So I'm pretty much the only one keeping the both of us alive. But I can't keep this up forever. Even I have a limit. Which means you're gonna have to find something to help the both of us.'**_

"But just how am I going to do that? I don't even know what happened to me in the first place. I don't know where to start."

**_'That, unfortunately, I can't help you with.'_** Griffon said, his apology genuine.

V scoffed and waved off his apology, fuming. He was still peeved with the hellish bird, even if it was the only reason he was alive. There had to be something he could do to prolong his life, however short it was. "As things stand...how much time do I have?"

_**'Er, by my estimates? You'll be lucky to be alive after two months.'**_

"Tch. Barely enough time." V muttered as he looked down at the floor, his shadow staring back at him. The window was open, and the light from the moon shined in, casting shadows from every object in the room. Staring at his own shadow, V suddenly recalled what Griffon referred to himself as. He claimed that he was his bad dreams, or nightmares. "...how many of you are there?"

_**'Eh? What'cha talking about now?'**_

"I mean, how many of these nightmares are there?" he clarified.

_**'To be honest, I have no idea. Though I'm pretty sure I ain't the only one...'**_ Griffon soon realized what V was actually asking and immediately panicked. _**'Whoa, hey! Hey hey hey! Y-you're not seriously thinking about hunting down the others, are ya?! You nuts?! What makes you think you can fight way you are now?!'**_

"Who said I'll be doing the fighting?" V replied with a knowing smirk, imagining the scandalized look on Griffon's face. "You said it yourself. You need me to survive. So, that means, if my life is in danger, you can fight to defend me."

_**'W-well, yeah, but...'**_

"And if our contract is what's keeping us sustained, then wouldn't the same also go for these other nightmares?"

_**'Y-yeah... I mean, we can't exist without something to anchor us down and supply us with energy.'**_ Griffon said. '_**Hell, I was on the verge of fading 'till I found you! But look, V! I'm not kidding around here! They're **_**your**_** nightmares! What do you think's gonna happen if you try and find 'em?! Ever heard of the saying, it might be better to forget?!'**_

V's lips thinned. "Perhaps..." he agreed. "But the fact remains, without power, I will die. And I have no intention of dying like some weak, pathetic fool."

For some reason, V spat those words as if they were poison. He didn't know why the thought of being weak disgusted him so much. Was it due to something from his past? If it did, then it didn't matter now. All that mattered to him was his survival.

_**'Sheesh...still stubborn as ever.'**_

"So...are you in?"

_**'Considering I don't have a choice? Yeah, fine.' **_Griffon huffed. _**'Just know, if we die... I blame you.'**_

The hellish bird fell silent and V smiled. "Good." Now all he had to do was go hunting. Perhaps tomorrow.

* * *

Ghira woke up to find a messenger at his front door. The poor man looked shaken, the color gone from his face. He knew immediately why he came, recognizing the look as the same one as the other messengers from the past month.

A low growl escaped his mouth as they walked. "Another one?"

"Y-yes, Chieftain." the messenger nodded shakily, leading him to the scene of the crime. "It's the Krimzen's this time."

The Chieftain's frown deepened when he heard. He knew of the Krimzens. They were of the more moderate members of the White Fang that remained after he stepped down. They had hoped to remain to ensure that Sienna did not go too far in her new policies, yet also believed that a more aggressive stance is needed.

And now they were dead.

The two stopped before a taped off area, two mangled bodies were covered in the middle of it. Observing the scene, Ghira noted the various splotches of blood, likely from the victims. He stepped closer to the bodies, kneeling down and gently pulling off the tarp. As soon as he saw the condition of the bodies, his face turned green. "By the Brothers... This is worse than the last victims." he said, pulling the cover down and turning to face one of the officials. "Do we have anything new? Any ideas as to what did this?"

"No, Chieftain." the official said sadly. "But, as you can tell by the state of the bodies, whoever or whatever's doing this isn't exactly being discreet. The White Fang believe that it may be possible that a Grimm may be responsible, though they've found no evidence that such a creature managed to sneak inside the city."

"I see. And I suppose we already ruled out a villager being the culprit?"

"Yes. These injuries were far too savage to be the work of a normal person. There are even large bite marks that indicate the presence of a large, carnivorous beast."

"But if you say that there is no evidence of a Grimm sneaking into the city to commit the murder, what else do you suppose it could be?"

The official sighed. "I don't know. But whatever the case, we need to find whatever's doing this and fast. At this rate, the negativity in the area will spike. And then the Grimm will get restless. I don't think the militia has enough firepower to push them back, even with the White Fang's help."

Ghira's face paled when he thought about that possibility. The militia may have former Huntsman among their number, and their skills weren't anything to scoff at, the amount of Grimm that thrived in the wilderness that was Menagerie was nothing to scoff at. If the negativity increased and they began to attack on a regular basis, or worse in a horde, Menagerie would be overrun. "Do whatever you must to track down the killer." he said seriously. "We can't let this continue!"

"Understood, chief." the official nodded. He then glanced around the crowd before he leaned in with a hushed whisper. "One more thing, chieftain. I don't want to alarm you, but...some of the villagers think the increased violence of the attacks might be because of the human that washed ashore the other day."

"What?!" Ghira looked incredulous. "How in the holy hell do they think he has anything to do with this?! He's so frail you'd think he would blow away in the wind!"

"I understand. But please just hear me out." The official pleaded. "I'm aware he didn't regain consciousness until today, and these attacks have been happening for quite some time. But please think about it. Haven't they started around the same time you took the lad in and nursed him back to health?"

"That may be so, but he was in a coma. You expect me to believe that a man like him is responsible for these murders?"

"I'm not saying it was him directly. I'm just pointing out the timing of these incidents."

Ghira frowned. "My wife and I already checked. The poor man doesn't even have Aura. And you and I both know that, unless magic exists, it's impossible for him to have a semblance."

Unknown to anyone surrounding the crime scene, however, glowing red eyes watched Ghira and the official speak, growling sinisterly before it slinked back into the shadows, fading and melding into the darkness and eventually vanishing. Up until now, it had just been acting erratically. This had been the first time it had managed to regain its senses. It could smell him. He was here, somewhere in this small little village.

All that was left was to find him...and rip his heart out from his body.

* * *

V had been reading a book out in the living room when Kali had asked him if he wanted to come with her on a bit of grocery shopping. Seeing as how he had nothing better to do, he accepted the offer. Unfortunately, he had realized that he had not quite recovered from his fever-induced coma and needed a cane to steady himself, lest he stumble and fall flat on his face. Griffon seemed to be quite amused and wanting for that to occur, making him want to strangle the damn bird.

The cane itself was a bit odd, though. It was seemingly made of silver with a thin handle, curving below the right side of his hand before coming down into a straight line. The bottom end was pointed, almost like the end of an arrow.

"Odd choice of design for a cane." V remarked as they walked down the street. Compared to the couple of people he saw passing by at Ghira's home, the streets may as well have been flooded.

"It was my grandfather's." Kali explained. "You would have to ask him, though you'll have to start a seance for that one."

J"I see. I apologize for using it like this."

"Oh no. Don't be. While it was my grandfathers, it was simply collecting dust until now. I'm sure he'd appreciate it having found use once again."

"Very well, then. Thank you."

Kali smiled back at him. "Anytime. Now then, think you can carry grocery bags. Ghira is having a meeting with the White Fang today, so I'm assuming he'll be quite famished. He's always so exhausted and somehow hungry at the same time after a long day at work."

"The White Fang?" V asked curiously. "Who are they?"

Kali's face turned conflicted. "They are...an organization stationed here on Menagerie." she said, though V could tell she was not telling him the full story. "They have other bases around Remnant, mind you, but they gather much of their recruits here, since they are a Faunus organization. They help the militia in keeping the Grimm away from the village."

"I see." V nodded. "And since Ghira is the Chieftain of Menagerie, they need his approval."

"Among other things." the woman sighed. "Lately, however, he's been getting frustrated with their lack of progress involving a string of murders that's been happening here. Whether your human or Faunus, I suppose conflicts are just part of day to day life, even if they end in someone dying. Whoever or whatever's been killing the local Faunus hasn't been caught, and there are no leads as of yet. At the rate things are going, I'm afraid the negative emotions in the village will begin to increase. And when that happens..."

_**'Then the Grimm start knocking.**_' Griffon snickered. _**'Might be somebody looking to get a few kicks in and cause some trouble. Maybe a human in hiding?'**_

V doubted that. Given what he's learned so far, any human trying to hide in Menagerie was suicidal since the only way off the island was by boat. And the wilderness surrounding the village was full of hostile wildlife, mainly consisting of Grimm. Unless they were confidant in their swimming skills or a hardy combatant, they were screwed either way.

Something else bothered V about the murders, so he decided to ask. "Out of curiosity, what was the cause of the deaths of the victims? Surely there must be a pattern."

"Well, as far as we know, each of the victims had one consistency among them. Their wounds seemed to have been caused by a ravenous beast. There were numerous, deep claw marks and large bite marks. Lately, they're becoming less like actual murders and more like wild animal attacks. But there are doubts that a Grimm was responsible, as we would've been alerted by its presence beforehand." Kali answered.

"I see... Sounds rather grizzly."

'And it might be a nightmare. Or a demon, whichever comes first.' Griffon said. 'Though, I would like to remind you that, if it is a demon and not a nightmare, you can't make a contract with it.' V furrowed his brow. 'Well, I mean you could, but it depends on the demon in question. If its some worthless mook, then yeah, might as well just kill the damn thing and get it over with. And while we're at it, you do realize that somebody's tailing us, right?'

He had noticed. They were being quite discreet. In fact, if it weren't for V somehow able to feel her presence, staying a few meters behind and hiding in the shadows, he wouldn't have noticed. He knew it was a Faunus, feeling no otherworldly strength from her. Instead, he focused on the matter at hand. Speaking of the Faunus population, they were shooting him dirty looks and whispering harsh words beneath their breath.

Not that he cared much for their opinion.

He didn't know how or why he earned their ire. But he didn't really care. From what he learned from Ghira, humans weren't exactly welcomed by a percentage of Menageries population due to how Faunus were treated in the Kingdoms and the rest of the world. He didn't care about their problems, nor should he involve himself in them. Their problems were their problems, and he would have no part in it.

"And here we are." Kali stopped in front of what looked to be the bazaar, various stands offering fresh fish, meat and vegetables. She lifted her nose slightly as a smile touched her face. "Ah, looks like the fishermen caught some fresh fish! Perfect!" V took note of how stars seemed to dazzle in Kali's eyes as she immediately went straight for the stand with the fish, making him shake his head. The ears atop her head were not just for show after all, it seemed. "Ooh, halibut and eel! Which should I pick, I wonder?"

"Ah, Mrs. Belladonna! Great to see you again!" the shopkeep smiled widely. "How's the life of a housewife?"

"Doing well." The woman smiled back. V walked up next to her.

"Oh, and who's your friend here?" The shopkeeper asked.

"This is V. He's currently staying in our house for the time being."

"Ah, the boy who came ashore!" the man realized. "Scrawny feller, aren't you? And your hair is all white!"

V shrugged. "I can't help it if my hair's this color." he replied.

"Maybe you should get some meat on your bones, then! Actually, since your here, Mrs. Belladonna, I got a gift for the chieftain! One of the guards happened to tell me he's been wanting some fresh carp lately, so...!" The man dived below his stall, missing for only a few seconds before he pulled himself back up. V choked when he saw a humongous fish in his hands. Kali started to drool immediately. "This fella came in today! I'll hand it over to you for free, if you can ask the chieftain if he can see about getting me a new boat! Old girl's finally showing her age, sadly."

"DEAL!"

_**'...uh, V?'**_ Griffon whispered. _**'Do fish...grow that big?'**_

"No." V said flatly. "No, they do not."

Just as V was about to walk away with Kali after she made her purchase, his body froze up. His skin tingled, goosebumps crawling up his arms. He could feel something slither across his mind. An unpleasant feeling full of dread that made his blood run cold. A palpable sense of dread crept up on him as he felt something linger in the back of his mind. _**'I can feel it...'**_ Griffon said tensely. _**'One of the nightmare's is here. It feels pretty hungry. Poor sap must have been trying to restore its energy. Bet you dollars to donuts its what's been killing the people around here lately.'**_ The hellish bird cackled. _**'Guess we're in luck! If its running on fumes, should be easy for ya to beat it down and make a contract with it.'**_

"Where is it?" V questioned as he looked around, attempting to find the source.

Griffon was ultimately not needed, as he found the creature almost immediately after asking, seeing its glowing red eyes glare at him, growling before it leaped out into view, its body turning into a physical shape. Black liquid became muscle, fangs bared and blades dancing. V's eyes widened when he realized where exactly the creature was aiming.

Him and Kali.

"Get down!"

V threw himself at Kali, unintentionally knocking down the groceries out of her hands. The demon flew right over them and collided with the shopkeeper's stand. A scream pierced the air as blood gushed across the ground, spilling all over the discarded fish that lay in the dirt. Flesh was torn apart within seconds.

No sooner had the nightmare made itself known had the crowd been thrown into panic.

"GRIMM!"

All civilians scrambled away from the beast, pushing and shoving one another to try and escape. Given Menageries significant population density. It was difficult to find free space on the streets, making evacuation difficult.

"O-oh god..." Kali whimpered, the color draining from her face. She was frozen in fear, unable to move as the nightmare made itself known to them.

It was a panther, or at least shaped like one. Its body was jet black, body built with muscle with bloodstains being consumed by the blackness of its own body like the blood was being sucked away. Its eyes were crimson, and its teeth were bared. Its form even seemed to tremble and quiver, as if it was not made completely physical.

_**'Shadow, greaaat...**_' Recognizing the nightmare, Griffon groaned. '_**This will be fun. Hey, try not to get sliced up, kay?'**_

V narrowed his eyes. "Can you bring it down?"

_**'I could...but not without barbaquing a couple of animals. So unless you wanna freak out the people here, you might wanna lead it away.'**_

"Well, at least your good for something."

_**'Hey!'**_

Shadow roared and charged at V. He moved out of the way and pushed Kali in the opposite direction so she wouldn't be caught by the mockery. It skidded to a stop and growled, locking eyes with the white-haired teen, who in turn smirked and turned to run in the other direction. He had a fairly good idea of where he could fight it without getting the people around him involved. Shadow immediately gave chase and shot after him.

The panicked crowd parted the way for V, realizing that he was going to be the nightmare's unlucky victim. As he and the monster vanished from sight, a group of Faunus clad in armor arrived on the scene. "What happened here?!" the leader of the group, a female with tanned skin with scales along the sides of her cheeks, demanded. She saw Kali lying on the ground, shaken. "Ah! Mrs. Belladonna! Are you alright?!"

"I-I'm fine..." the woman nodded before pointing a shaky figure to where V had ran. "B-but V...!"

* * *

The white haired teen sprinted through the streets of menagerie. Ignoring his body's continuous protests from the physical exertion. He could feel himself strain to keep his body together, yet he pushed it out of his mind as he led Shadow away from the populace. He cut through various alleyways, hoping to find an enclosed area to keep Shadow boxed in while he dealt with it.

"Though perhaps fighting in the village will warrant unneeded attention!" V huffed before he felt his body burn up. His tattoos peeled away and formed into Griffon, the hellish bird flying beside him. "How close are we to the nearby forests?"

**"Pretty close! Why?"** Griffon retracted his question when he realized what V was talking about. **"Oh boy, you want to fight that thing in a Grimm infested forest, why am I not surprised?! Sheesh! Memories or no memories, you really are a bastard, you know that?!"**

"Better me than everyone else in town!" He retorted as he vaulted over a wooden fence. He could hear the Nightmare catching up to him, its paws thumping against the ground like thunder.

He swiveled around the corner, nearly stumbling over his own feet and crashing into a helpless bystander carrying a basket. They were about to scold him, were it not for Shadow bowling right over them in its pursuit. It was slowly catching up to him. V pushed himself further, running as fast as he could and ignoring the strain he was putting on his body. A cart came into clear view, positioned right up against the wall. Over the wall, he saw the treeline. He pushed his legs faster and rushed up the cart, jumping over the wall and making his way into the forest. Shadow leaped right over it and continued to chase him, snarling and roaring with anticipating.

**"Uh, V? Not to alarm you, but the angry kitty is gaining on us!"**

V gave Griffon a flat look. "Then slow it down."

**"What?! Me?!"** He gawked in response.

"You're the one who has powers right now." V snapped back. "I'm pretty much useless at the moment!"

**"...Alright! Fine! But if I die! I'm blaming you!"** Griffon slowed down and circled back to distract Shadow.

Thunder began to flow along Griffon's feathers. Arcs spewed from its wings. With a shrill cry, Griffon launched itself at the dark panther. Bolts of electricity cut through the air and struck the Nightmare dead on. Shadow paused in its charge and shook off the attack. It looked up and growled at the avian Nightmare.

Griffon squawked at it. **"Here kitty kitty! Come to papa!" **Shadow roared as it pounced at the bird. But Griffon flew higher to avoid its claws. It fired off more sparks of thunder at the nightmare, though Shadow proved to be far more agile than expected. It used the tree it had landed on as a spring board and jumped off, perching itself atop the branches of another tree, then resumed its chase. **"What the-hey! Get back you here overgrown furball!"** Griffon cursed as it he immediately gave chase.

V continued to rush through the forest, shielding his face from twigs and bushes and branches that would have otherwise blinded him. His chest tightened up, his legs burned and his lungs were being torn apart. He was starting to get tired. Adrenaline couldn't help him anymore. Worse yet, the further he delved into the wilderness of Menagerie, the more malevolent intent he could feel coming from up ahead. He didn't know what it belonged to, but it wasn't a demon, that was for sure. He believed it to be the Grimm that thrived in these forests and grimaced.

Death by demon, or death by Grimm. He wasn't exactly keen on either option, though perhaps he could use both sides to his favor.

The violent roars of Shadow crept up from behind him. He looked over his shoulder just in time to see it pounce. It collided and all of its weight fell upon him, forcing him down to the ground. His back hit the ground and its paws pinned him down. Its maw opened, revealing sharp black fangs that loomed over him, ready to rip out his throat. In defense, he brought up the cane and jammed it in his mouth, holding back its fangs. Shadow thrashed, trying to pull the cane out from his grasp and snap it in two, but it proved to be far more resilient than expected. When it seemed that it wouldn't be able to bite him, it instead twisted its paws into claws.

V hissed in pain, sucking on his teeth to avoid screaming and attract unwanted attention as sharp blades pierced into his shoulders.

Even so, despite the pain burning his nerves and the agony of his body on the verge of breaking down, he held on. He needed a way to beat Shadow. He just needed an opportunity to do so! He would not allow himself to die here, not before he had a chance to learn something about himself. Not before he gained power. Power great enough to defeat _him_!

Hissing, V pushed until he finally threw Shadow off of him. The nightmare snarled as its form quivered, then rippled. A thin spear shot out from its body, aiming to skewer the white-haired youth where he stood. V rolled to his side and evaded it. Then the creature launched itself forward, losing shape and becoming a whirlwind of blades. and slicing up anything in its path.

V stilled for a moment, clutching his shoulder. He waited two seconds before he leaped out of the way, just in time for an oncoming Grimm to be caught in Shadow's path. He didn't get a good look at it, but its form resembled a wolf and had a white mask on its face.

And it was not alone.

Behind it were many more of its kind, yet each one was noticeably smaller than the one leading the pack. He deduced it to be the Alpha of some sort. And even then they weren't the only ones present. Behind them were small, bipedal creatures of a similar design. They were reptilian in form, with bone-white armor covering their backs and face.

As Shadow reformed and glowered at the new arrivals, preparing to slaughter them for their interference, Griffon fluttered into view. **"Sheesh, that cat runs fast..."** the hellish bird complained, flapping beside V. **"And you went on got yourself hurt. Nice work, V. Real nice."**

Rather than rise up to its bait, V kept his focus on the Grimm, which snarled and howled at Shadow. "This is more than what I was expecting..." he noted worriedly. "Why are there so many?"

**"The cat lady said Grimm are attracted to negativity, right? And since me and the kitty cat over there are practically made from your bad dreams, we might as well be a Grimm's wet dream! Shame they aren't going to do much against it, though. But, ah, you might wanna hurry up and kick the crap out of it before it loses all of its mojo. If it goes down like this, you can't make a contract with it!"**

V smirked. "Then you'll simply have to fry it with the Grimm."

**"You're a real slave driver, you know that?"** Griffon huffed before thunder sparked around its body. **"Let's just make this clear, Shakespeare. You and I like to co-exist. So hurry up and kill these Grimm something quick, cause it ain't my shtick!"** It took off towards the treetops and let loose several bolts of thunder. The reptiles were pierced by the bolts and were killed in an instant. Shadow was struck by the bolts and stumbled slightly, its body temporarily losing shape. For a brief moment, something in its body became visible to V. **"I got your back, cause dying is whack!"**

He smirked as he saw his opportunity and took it. He brandished his cane and dashed toward Shadow. Surrounded on all fronts, Shadow let out an air-trembling roar as its form twisted. Blades sprouted from every inch of its body and twirled itself around, slashing and hacking anything that got close to it. It attempted to cut down V, but he used his cane to defend and pulled back, rolling back to evade. When it reverted, a wolf landed atop its body and dug its fangs into its neck, clawing and tearing at its form. Griffon used the moment to send out arcs of thunder and overwhelmed it. The Grimm died in moments. Shadow let out a howl of pain, but then its red eyes became livid as it jumped up to snatch the hellish bird out of the air, only for anotehr Grimm to appear and pull out in mid-air, teeth sinking into its leg and tossing it against a tree, breaking through back and snapping it in half.

**"Tiiimbeeer!"** Griffon laughed as the tree came crashing down with a thud, falling on top of one of the reptilian Grimm.

V swirled down into a crouch as another reptile attempted to headbutt him, letting it fly above his head before skewering it with the cane. The pointed end pierced straight through its body, then tore it out, letting the Grimm go limp. He glanced down at the cane, finding it hardly scratched aside from the small scratches caused by Shadow biting at it. "Hm, quite durable, this cane." he remarked with a grin. "I think I like it." He side-stepped one of the incoming wolves swiping its claw at him, giving it a good whack with the cane. Angry, the wolf tried to snap at his leg, but missed by a narrow margin. The cane pierced its neck and severed the spine in an instant, killing it then and there.

Griffon continued throw sparks of electricity at Shadow and the Grimm surrounding it. Slowly, but surely, the nightmare was losing cohesion. A pusaling object was revealed through the thick strands of black fluid-like muscle. It appeared to be a sphere of some sort. It was the core behind its being. Without it, Shadow could not exist. If the core was destroyed, then that was it. Goodbye nightmare. And goodbye lifespan increase. Realizing that its fellow mockery was weak enough for V to deal with it, Griffon instead focused his attempts on killing the Grimm around it. It no longer had a need to conserve energy now. It fired off as many arcs of thunder as it could.

Flashes of lights of thunder bolts practically rained down in the forest. Grimm were being slaughter en masse. And V was dancing in the middle of it, each movement slow and careful while dealing a swift blow to the vital spots of each of his foes. Though his body was weak, there was no mistaking this feeling. It was carved deep into his bones. He knew precisely when to strike, when to dodge, when to parry, and when to kill. He had been in combat before. But these enemies were pitifully weak. Though he struck their weakpoints to deal with them swiftly, the fact remained that they paled in comparison to demons.

Yet as he killed the Grimm, his mind also thought about the demons. Griffon and Shadow were demons, or rather pale imitations. They were simply taking on their forms to suit their needs. If they were real demons, then he would have a much harder time trying to kill them. Their power would be far greater than these Grimm. If that was the case, then what were the demons, really?

A subject for another time, he supposed.

A swift stab through the heart, and the wolf fell to its knees. V tugged the cane out and let the corpse crumple to a heap before he turned his attention to Shadow. It was now visibly suffering from all the pain and punishment it had been receiving. Its attempts to defend itself had gone no better, expending more energy than it should have. Parts of its body lost form and were spilling on the grass, forming black puddles of sludge and muck. Half of its face was losing form. The sphere within its body was revealed at long last. It pulsated like a beating heart.

Like a cornered animal, it realized its predicament. It tried to shield its core, but its attempts were fruitless. It could no longer remain solid. **"Looks like that's it for the poor kitty."** Griffon said as it flapped its way down to V's shoulder, careful not to aggravate the bleeding wounds he had already suffered. **"It was already running on fumes, but now it barely has any gas left in the tank. It'll probably disappear in a few minutes. Last chance, pal."**

V nodded. Then he paused, knitting his eyebrows. "...and, pray tell, how am I supposed to make a contract with it?"

**"Easy. Use the cane!"** The white-haired youth gave him an incredulous look. **"You got some demonic power left in ya. Just think back to how it felt while you were fighting the Grimm. Let your instincts do all the work for you. Let the energy flow through the cane, then stick it in its core. All there is to it, really. Oh, but, ah... I should warn you. Like I told you before, me and this guy? We're your nightmares. All the bad stuff you wanted to forget. You make a contract with him? The memories he makes up are gonna go right through you."** Griffon narrowed his eyes at V. It almost looked like concern. **"Remember what I said about some things better left being forgotten?"**

V stared at Shadow's dissipating form. It was starting to break down. What little of its form was left was becoming nothing but smoke and ash. A putrid smell flooded his nostrils. He wanted to gag. "Perhaps." he conceded to Griffon's point as he held his cane in hand, holding it over his shoulder. "But..." His eyes narrowed. "That is not your call to make."

He thrusted the cane straight into the core, and like Griffon said, he let his instincts take over. A blinding white light flooded the forest.

V screamed.

* * *

_"PATHETIC."_

_His body, beaten and broken, collapsed to the ground. The crimson sludge stained his clothes. He felt cold. Defiled. Groaning, he attempted to stand back up, but lost strength in his arms. He attempted to reach for his katana, but he found it out of his reach. It was far away from him, stabbed halfway into a dirty mound of rotting flesh. Something pulled him out from the muck, but not gently. Were it not for the fact that he lost the strength to scream, he would have cried out in pain._

_"YOU ARE WEAK. USELESS. HUMAN." the monster before him bellowed, its voice echoing all across the void. "DEMON YOU MAY BE, BUT YOUR BLOOD BETRAYS YOU. YOU THINK YOU COULD DO WHAT YOUR FATHER DID BEFORE? DO NOT OVERESTIMATE YOURSELF. YOU ARE NOT EVEN HALF THE DEMON THE TRAITOR WAS."_

_The monster's grip on him tightened. He coughed up blood, the red liquid spilling out from the corners of his mouth. "I..." he rasped. "I will not submit. Not...to you...!" He raised his head, glaring back in defiance. "I will not...yield!"_

_"...INSOLENCE."_

_The monster squeezed. His bones creaked beneath the pressure, then shattered. A weak gasp escaped him, body trembling. He tried to muster the strength to push back, but the monster's strength was greater. His resistance was fading. He could feel his consciousness slipping away._

_"I COULD KILL YOU HERE AND NOW...BUT YOU MAY PROVE USEFUL, EVEN IF HALF-DEAD." the monster cackled. Black liquid began to spill out form its arms. Crawling up its fingers and sliding into his body. His skin both burned and froze from the contact. It was vile and wretched. "I KNOW HE HAD ONE OTHER CHILD. I KNOW HE WILL COME TO ME AND FINISH WHAT HIS FOOLISH FATHER STARTED." The monster chuckled, watching as the liquid crawled up his face. He closed his mouth firmly shut and shut his eyes, but the liquid slithered into his ears. Something inside him broke and forced his orfices open. The liquid spilled into his mouth and slid into his throat. It crawled into his eyes and swallowed them whole._

_"I WONDER WHAT FACE DANTE WILL MAKE...WHEN HE REALIZES THAT HE WILL HAVE TO KILL HIS BROTHER A SECOND TIME?"_

_The damning laugh of the monster and its piercing red eyes were all he saw before his mind slipped into the dark_

* * *

V's eyes snapped open, gasping for air. Cold sweat caked his skin. His head throbbed while his heart hammered against his chest. On instinct, his hands groped for something near his person, but found only empty air. Confused, he looked around and found he was no longer on the forest floor. Rather, he was once again comfortably resting on the sofa in the Belladonna estate's living room. The window curtains were drawn and the doors leading out to the yard were closed, but the soft glow of moonlight spilled between the cracks.

Realizing where he was, V inhaled and exhaled calmly, slowing his heart's rapid beating. He looked down at his hand, staring at it. His skin was pale, perhaps even more so than before...but the cracks were gone. They had faded. And that was not all. He felt no physical changes to his body, but he could feel it. Something inside of him changed. He felt more...lively. More alive. The oppressive feeling of his body breaking down was gone, pushed to the far reccesses of his mind.

"I see..." he mumbled to himself as he palmed his face. "So, that was what you meant. Bad dreams, indeed."

"V!" The aforementioned teen looked up, finding a relieved and worried Kali Belladonna rushing into the room. "Oh, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"I've...felt better." he admitted as he rolled his shoulder, only to wince. "Except for my shoulder being sliced open."

"So I've noticed! Ilia found you passed out stone cold on the forest floor! And bleeding! What were you thinking, heading out into the woods?! That's Grimm territory!"

"I-"

Kali glared at him. Despite having faced much greater horrors, V found himself wilting underneath the pressure behind it. Yet he couldn't help but note how this pressure also seemed familiar to him for some reason. "Don't give me excuses, V! You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"Now now, Kali. Give him some room." Ghira came into the room moments later. The man looked as if he had been run ragged. His shoulders sagged, and there were dark rings beneath his eyes. "He's already had a run-in with death. Don't give him reason to meet it again." Kali looked like she wanted to argue more, but then fell quiet. She looked conflicted, not sure whether to be angry with him or to agree with her husband before she huffed and stomped away, vanishing into the other room. Ghira chuckled. "You'll have to forgive her. I haven't seen her that concerned about someone since the day Blake came down with chicken pox when she was ten."

V raised a brow, wondering who this Blake person was, but chose not to ask. Instead, he chose to pursue a different inquiry. "How long have I been out?"

"Two whole days." Ghira told him, much to his surprise. "Ilia, a member of the White Fang, found you out in the forest. You had deep cuts in your shoulders, and it looked like you were suffering from another fever. You calmed down not long after she brought you back." The man bowed his head deeply, surprising V. "Thank you, V. For protecting my wife when you did."

"I didn't do much."

"You protected her from a Grimm. That is more than enough." Ghira insisted. "Speaking of, what happened to it?"

V paused, wondering how he should answer. He couldn't exactly claimed that he "absorbed" the Grimm or reveal its true nature to Ghira. That might end up making the man hostile, and he didn't exactly want to lose the trust of the man who offered him a roof and a bed to sleep on. But he also couldn't claim he killed it, either. Who would believe that such a scrawny man managed to kill a Grimm with nothing but a cane? After a bit of pondering, V settled on an answer.

"...I managed to fight it off for a little while, but as you can tell by my wounds, that didn't go so well." he claimed. "I don't remember what happened afterwards. Perhaps this Ilia managed to kill it?"

Ghira shook his head. "No, she didn't. She found a few Grimm corpses dissolving by the time she found you. You really don't remember what happened?"

"No, I don't."

The chieftain stared at V for a while longer before he sighed. "Well, I suppose it can't be helped." he said, rubbing his forehead. "What a mess... The militia and the Fang are trying to figure out how the Grimm managed to sneak inside the village and remain undetected for so long. It's gotten to the point where the Fang's leader is asking for a meeting to discuss reinforcing the village."

"Wouldn't that be for better protection?" V said in confusion.

Ghira scoffed. "Perhaps, but the White Fang's idea of reinforcing is to recruit more members from Menagerie. The people are still frightened after what happened the other day. We need time to heal, not more panic. The Grimm have already been more active than they have in the last month. If this keeps up, we may have to hire a Huntsman." He stopped, blinking as he realized something. Ghira laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to talk your ear off about matters that don't involve you. I've been so tired dealing with all this crap, I guess I needed someone to vent to."

V chuckled. "It's fine." he assured him.

Ghira smiled at V, bowing his head. "Once again, V... Thank you, for protecting Kali. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go calm down my wife before she goes on another tantrum. One would thinks he wasn't..." His voice trailed off as he left the living room behind.

V watched him go, eyes narrowed and waiting until he was out of earshot before he addressed the silent presences in the room. "You're there, I hope?"

_**'Like I said, 24/7!'**_ Griffon snapped as he tore himself off of V, taking on a physical shape. And he was not alone, either. Shadow manifested with him as well, landing on the floor. His form was relatively the same, but it lacked the same hostile intentions as it did before. Its eyes, while red, lacked the bloodlust it harbored earlier. Now, there was an odd sense of calm to it. It waltzed up to V and nudged its head against him. Smiling wryly, V rubbed his head against it, eliciting a purr. The hellish bird snickered. **"Aw, look! The kitty cat likes you now, after it just tried to chomp off your head. So, how was reliving one of your worst nightmares?"**

"Entertaining." V said sarcastically. "But insightful." He looked at Griffon with his lips in a thin line. "Who is Dante?"

**"Your brother, I think."**

"...you think?"

**"Not quite sure about that one. Like I said before, our memories are still fuzzy kid. But after getting Shadow back, I'm starting to remember a bit more. It ain't much, but at least we got a name."**

V pursed his lips. It wasn't much to go on, but at least now he had something to go on. However, there was something else weighing on his mind.

_Those piercing red eyes glaring down at him as it crushed the life of out of him, twisting him. Perverting him. Defiling his image and all he embodied._

His hands shook. "That demon..." he whispered. "What was it?"

**"Mundus. King of the Underworld."** Griffon replied with a grimace. **"Real nasty piece of work, and the primary reason why you were in shit condition. And why you're now skin and bones. Don't know what happened to him, though. All I know is that your nightmares are all based around the demons that served under him."**

"And how many demons were there?"

**"Five, if you included yourself."** the bird shrugged. **"There was Griffon, Shadow, Nightmare and Phantom."**

"In other words, there are two more nightmares left." V hummed thoughtfully, looking up at the ceiling. "If I were to make a contract with him, would my body be sustained enough to last indefinitely?"

**"Maybe, maybe not. Do I look like an expert to you? Anyway, thanks to the kitty over here, your life expectancy just went up. Congrats, V! You got six months to live!"**

"Six months, huh..."

V frowned. While it was definitely better than his original state, it still wasn't much time in the long run. He needed to track down the other Nightmares and make contracts with him fast. However, finding them would not be an easy task. If they were located across Menagerie, then perhaps it would be much simpler, but he sincerely doubted it would be that easy. And they were possibly far more powerful than Griffon and Shadow. With that in mind, he needed to get stronger. He needed power. The question is, how would he obtain that power? And where could he find it? Those were the questions V needed immediate answers to.

For now, though...he supposed recuperating was his best option for now. He couldn't fight in the best of conditions if his shoulders were torn to hell.

* * *

Weeks passed by in Menagerie, and seemingly the village had returned to a sense of normalcy. The rising negativity had quelled overtime, and people slowly, but surely, returned to their everyday lives. The White Fang had, thankfully not chosen to start a mass recruitment and increase the negativity in the area, and the militia was able to repel the rising Grimm attacks. The aid of Huntsmen, as Ghira once feared, were thankfully not required. Many lives had been lost because of Shadow's actions, but people moved on. Some still grieved, but ultimately life continued.

V's stay in Menagerie had come and gone in a blink of an eye. He had found himself accustomed to his brief time in the village, and the Faunus had slowly come to warm up to him. Some still regarded him with hostility, namely those from the White Fang, but the others had welcomed him as one of their own. He actually found his place here peaceful. Perhaps, were it not for his present circumstances, he would have loved to live here, but alas, he had more pressing concerns. Almost a month had gone by, and he was running on borrowed time. He needed to find the other nightmares and obtain their powers.

To that end, V studied up on anything that could be of value to him. Books on the regions of Remnant, historical locations that could prove to be places where they would possibly reside, as well as books on combat techniques. Kali had chosen to let him keep her grandfather's cane, much to his pleasure. He had grown a certain fondness towards it, finding it a good companion piece and weapon.

Kali's friend, sadly, had come up with nothing about V's identity. Despite numerous inquiries and the vast network at their disposal, he apparently did not exist. As a result, it was suspected that he might have had his identity stolen and would be issued a new one. Near the end of his stay on Menagerie, he had been given his own bank account, a government-issued Scroll, and a citizenship ID. While Menagerie was technically its own continent, it was recognized as part of Vacuo, so officially, V was a citizen of the Kingdom of Vacuo.

If there was one thing that V had been disappointed in, it was that Menagerie didn't have anyone who could offer to unlock his Aura. Aura, which he read in a book, was the shield and manifestation of one's own soul. The means in which one defended themselves from harm. An outward expression of their inner selves. He had been quite curious about its applications and mentioned it to Ghira, but sadly, while the man did admit he had his unlocked, he did not know the process in which he could unlock another person's. That particular bit was apparently done by either officials belonging to Combat and Huntsman Academies, as well as actual Huntsman.

A shame. It would have been a well-needed tool if he was to combat his nightmares.

Eventually, the day V had set out to leave had come. He had already informed the Belladonnas of his decision. They looked greatly saddened to hear this, perhaps thinking that he would stay with them indefinitely, but they understood that he couldn't just remain cooped up here. He had a past that he needed answers to. He needed to find the answers about himself, and he could not find them in Menagerie. They weren't going to let him leave without preparing him for the journey, however.

V stepped out into the living room, the soft tapping of the cane alerting the Belladonnas of his presence. When he presented himself to the married couple, Kali squealed. "Oh, I just knew Ghira's old clothes would fit you!"

His buttoned shirt and slacks had been discarded in favor for hand-me-downs as Kali had mentioned. He now wore what used to be Ghira's old clothes from during his teenage years: a long, open sleeveless leather coat with the sides tied together by strings, inside pockets, and a sewn-in, corset-like vest in the front. He also wore black pants with a silver chain made up of skulls on the right side of his belt and a fingerless glove on his right hand. He was sporting many accessories, including a tooth pendant around his neck, silver ring on his left middle finger, and a spiked bracelet that crisscross around his left wrist. Rather than boots, however, V had opted for more free-feeling attire such as sandals.

"You look great, V." The man complimented.

"Well, you have good tastes in clothes." The young man smirked back. The two shared a laugh as Ghira pulled him in for a one armed hug.

Though V's stay with them had lasted barely a month, they had grown rather attached to the white-haired youth. Up until now, their home had felt rather lonely without Blake around. While he was no replacement for her, they greatly enjoyed his being here. In a way, it was like they had unofficially adopted him. V, in turn, felt at peace with them and wondered briefly if he would ever have a place with them, despite his status. It was worth thinking about in the future.

The two males parted. "I really am going to miss you." Ghira admitted with a wry smile. "I'll keep the guest room tidy, in case you ever come back here."

V nodded in gratitude. Before he departed from the estate, Kali put a book in his hands. "Here. I know it isn't much of a going away present, but I noticed you read rather often and bought this for you." V raised a curious brow and opened the book up to a random page. "It's a book of poems. I don't know if its your cup of tea, but-"

"It's fine. I like it." V smiled, closing the book. "Thank you, Kali."

"No, thank you, V. It's...been a long time since our house felt so lively. Do come by again when you remember something about your past." the woman insisted. "Perhaps without being half-dead, next time?"

He laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Do you want us to see you off at the port?"

"No. I should be fine getting there by myself." he said. A small part of him felt a little sad leaving them. Maybe he could return here again, someday. "Thank you again. For everything."

Without looking back, V turned around and left, his luggage trailing behind him. The Belladonnas watched his back slowly fade into the distance. Kali felt her eyes water slightly as V's image happened to overlap with that of another's - a girl with black hair like them, eyes like amber and a blade to her hip. "It's going to be rather lonely here without him around." she admitted, wiping away the tears before they could spill from her face. "I wish he could have stayed a little longer."

"You and I both know he couldn't." Ghira said, feeling equally as sad. It almost felt as if he was reliving the moment Blake had left home so long ago, albeit on better circumstances. "Besides, it isn't as if this is goodbye. Who knows? Maybe he'll run into Blake. He did say he was going to Vale."

"Maybe..." Kali sighed deeply. After a few more moments, she managed to smile a little. "If they do meet, though, I think they might get along. They are interested in books, after all!"

"Speaking of..." The Chieftain of Menagerie gave his wife a concerned look. "The books in the guest room. By any chance, none of them happened to be...?"

"Yes. Yes they were." Kali grinned, making Ghira groan. "You have your past time, Ghira honey, and I have mine."

"Like mother, like daughter..."

* * *

_**'Not gonna lie, I was kinda tearing up.'**_ Griffon said as they walked through the streets. Oddly, they were rather barren with hardly a few people around. What little people V did come across all gave him passing greetings to which he returned in kind. '_**I actually kind of liked this place! I mean, sure, the wildlife could use some work, but it ain't bad. Think we could come back here sometime soon?'**_

"Perhaps." V shrugged. "It was enjoyable. However...I could do without stalkers."

_**'Ah, noticed them, did ya?'**_

"Hard not to. They've been following us since we left the estate." V moved his head, barely enough to see a couple of figures keeping a safe distance behind him. He couldn't quite make out their figure, but he noticed that all of them were wearing masks. "The White Fang have been looking for a chance to teach me a lesson, or so they tend to whisper."

Griffon laughed. _**'Must be nice, daydreaming about kicking the shit out of a cripple.'**_

V rolled his eyes and continued walking. It would be a pain if the White Fang jumped him when he was close to his destination, so it would be better if he dealt with them now. With that in mind, he quickened his pace pulled around the corner, heading into one of the more narrow streets lined with bricks. The alleys close to the wilderness were so barren they may as well have been abandoned. The only ones you would find were beggars and the like. Not to mention the network of alleys was almost like a maze. It wasn't difficult to get lost in them, but there was no problems getting out of them either. The populace generally tended to stay away from the alleys, given how close it was to the treeline. It was possible they feared that a Grimm might sneak its way into the alleys, however unlikely that was.

V stepped into the network of alleys, his cane tapping against the dirt below his feet. He took a quick glance around the alleys, searching it for any signs of life before he smiled and turned around. Four people, two men and two women, stood in front of him, wearing white and black attire with hoods drawn over their heads.

"It's awfully rude to stalk someone." he remarked calmly. "If you want something, just come out and say it. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We have been keeping and eye on you for quite a while..." the one in front said. "Suffice to say...you're a dangerous individual."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" V asked innocently.

"Don't play dumb!" The figure next to him snapped. "We know your connected to the Grimm that snuck inside the village! It should have turned its attention on the crowd, but it chased after you instead!"

"Oh. That? Well, I thought it simply chased me because I was it's next victim."

"Shut up! The Grimm attack indiscriminately! There's no way it would simply focus on a lowly human like you normally! It had to be your fault!"

The white-haired youth chuckled. "Believe what you will. At this point, we're just running around in circles. But I digress. Whatever the case is..." He narrowed his eyes, sharply, at the apparent leader of the group. "...you have no intention of allowing me to leave Menagerie. At least, not alive or intact." His words were proven shortly afterwards as they gripped their weapons, advancing in a threatening manner. Rather than be intimidated, V laughed. "A good plan, however narrow-minded it is. If I fall here, my corpse will just rot and be food for maggots and flies. If I escape, your organization has a reason to detain me on grounds of an accusation of assault. To colloborate with that, you have my stalker up on the roof watching this whole thing. I imagine I'll be killed in secret while I'm custody."

His words elicited gasps from them. Their plan was unfolded, and he revealed it as if he were reading from a newspaper. This only further enhanced their views that this person was dangerous. They either had to capture him now or kill him here.

"So you figured out our plan. Big deal." one of the more arrogant members of their group smirked darkly. "What can a weak human like you do against the four of us?"

V's fingers twitched. "Weak..." he mumbled the word bitterly before chuckling. "I suppose you're right. As I am now, I am weak." He raised his head. The group suddenly stopped, noticing the wicked smile he was sporting. His eyes were cold. It was as if they were staring into the arctic. "But...so are the rest of you. You don't even realize..." He twirled his cane around in his hand, then aimed it at the gathered group. "...that these alleys are your graves."

"W-what the hell are you-"

A black blur shot past them. It happened so quickly none of them had realized what had happened. Not until they saw spurts of red flying through the air. If any of them had any Aura, they could not activate it in time. In seconds, Shadow had sliced them apart, severing limbs and cutting through their torsos. One of its many blades had even sliced through a jugular vain. Even if they had Aura to heal their wounds, a severed limb was well beyond anything they were capable of. And jugular vein that was cut open would be difficult to heal. The alley became stained in crimson, painting the wall and the dirty ground beneath them as the bodies fell into a lifeless heap.

V stared at their bodies in disdain. He would have spoken a few spiteful words, saying how a "weak" human had slaughtered them, but he refrained. Their deaths was proof enough. If they hadn't called him by such a disgusting word, he might have settled for cutting off a few limbs. Perhaps a few corpses would send a message?

That being said, he still had to deal with his stalker. That problem was dealt with swiftly as a thunder bolt had struck the girl dead on, throwing her off of the rooftop's edge and down to the street below her. She collided with the pavement on her side. Aura must have defended her from harm as he didn't hear any bones breaking, but she could quite clearly feel the impact as she screamed, clutching her arm.

Dazed, the girl tried to get her bearings. When she saw V standing in front of the corpses of her comrades, she gasped and went for her weapon. Shadow pounced on her immediately, pushing her down into the ground and pressing its paws on her wrists, preventing her from grabbing her weapon. Griffon fluttered down on top of V's shoulder as he approached her.

"While most people would enjoy having a girl give them such rapt attention..." he said in a drawl, kneeling down beside her and taking off her mask, staring straight at her gray eyes. She was glaring hatefully at him. "...I'm afraid I don't appreciate it."

"Y-you'll pay for this, you hear?!" the girl roared in his face. "The White Fang won't take this lying down!"

"They will." The girl went still, shuddering when she heard V's voice grow as cold as his eyes. "Because if they don't, they'll find a few more dead bodies. I don't care about your feelings towards me. I don't care if you hate humans with a passion." He pressed his cane's handle against her throat. "Give this message to your superiors. Leave me be...or I butcher the White Fang, down to the last man."

"What..." she swallowed fearfully. "What makes you think...I'll do that?!"

V smirked. "Why do you think I left you alive?" He stood up and turned on his heel, giving a low whistle. Shadow growled at her, bearing its teeth before it pulled away and returned to V's side, body turning to liquid and staining his skin. Griffon laughed as he joined its fellow mockery. "Have a pleasant day, Ilia Amitola." V said mockingly as he waved a hand.

"Y-you..." Ilia whispered in terror. This person was not normal. He was not human. He could not possibly be human. He wore the same skin and face as one, but his presence at that moment made her feel as if death's scythe had pressed up against her throat. "What are you?"

V looked over his shoulder and grinned. "A demon."

* * *

In a place hidden from the eyes of the world, a creature that could not possibly be human groaned in pain, struggling to move. It clawed its way forward, unable to walk and forced to crawl. For the last few days, its strength had waned. Despite the power it had, it had fallen pray to its own weakness. Its body was too frail. It was able to defend itself, but the days without a means to recuperate in any way had left it drained. The creatures that roamed these bizarre lands left him alone, but when they saw it invading their territory, they attacked.

**"I..."** the creature moaned. **"I cannot...die here...not until..."**

Despite the overwhelming pain it suffered, the creature could think clearly. It could not let itself perish. It would not allow itself to die in such a pathetic manner. It was above all others. It had power. And yet, despite these facts, it had lost.

To _him_ of all people.

**"Dante...!" **The being roared. A plethora of emotions welled up within its voice. Rage. Spite. Hatred. Everything that signifies that dark nature of man and demon. **"I won't...lose...!"**

The creature pitifully crawled until it reached its stopping point. At this point, all strength in its body was now exhausted. It laid face-down in the ground. Tired, the creature's arm fell over a ledge of some sort. A pool of liquid, black and bubbling, swallowed its arm as it dipped into it. An irritable itch began to swell across its skin, as if the pool was irritating its arm, yet it could find no strength or means to pull away. It just laid there, wheezing and panting.

**"Power..."** the creature growled. **"I need more... More power...!"**

"...my word. What a fascinating creature you are." The creature lifted its head. There was something, or someone, in front of it. The skies were dark and its own vision was suffering, so it could not make out whoever was in front of it. Only that their skin was pale white, garbed in black, and had blood red eyes. "You are no Grimm, but you are not human, either. What are you...?"

**"I..."** Baring its teeth, the creature attempted to pull itself up. It failed once more and crumpled to the floor. **"I need...power..."** it wheezed. **"More...power...!"**

The woman stared at it for a moment longer before chuckling, a smile appearing on their face. "I see..." they remarked before moving over to its arm. Gently, she pulled the limb out from the pool. It was about to snarl at them and tell them not to touch it, until it saw the state of its arm. Bone white armor had grown atop its flesh, seemingly melding with it. Inky-black veins sprouted along its skin, with the eyes that dotted its flesh turning blood red. "The pools from the God of Darkness destroy whatever enters them, save for the Grimm. But you... It's accepted you."

The person cupped its face. their hands cold as ice. "I will offer you power...but in return, you must offer me something."

**"I..."** the creature snarled. **"Bow...to no one..."**

"I do not ask for loyalty. I ask for...cooperation."

Silence reigned before the creature opened its maw to speak again. **"...what can...a lowly human...offer me...?"**

"Everything."

* * *

_**"I have no name:  
I am but two days old.**_  
_**What shall I call thee?**_  
_**I happy am,**_  
_**Joy is my name.**_  
_**Sweet joy befall thee!"**_

* * *

**A/N**: My 100th story, ladies and gentlemen. Brought to you by myself and Daemon of Wrath. If you couldn't tell, I had a LOT of fun writing this with my pal. Especially since, among all the characters in Devil May Cry, V has to be my all-time favorite. There's also plenty of mystery surrounding V and Urizen this time around, too. This is obviously after the split, but how did they end up in Remnant?

All in due time.

Also, in regards to V's actions near the end of the chapter...I would like to remind you that, while he is the closest Vergil can get to being a "good guy," V is still part of Vergil. Pissing him off is not recommended. Nor is calling him weak.

Can't wait to show you guys the next chapter!

_See You_~


	2. From Shadows

_This story is a work of fiction._

_Any relations to characters, living or dead, are purely coincidental._

_The authors own none of the characters, or events, that take place here._

* * *

"_**Tiger, tiger, burning bright  
In the forests of the night,  
What immortal hand or eye,  
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"**_

* * *

**RWBY ~ Memories of V**

* * *

_Book 1, Chapter Two_

_My name is V._

_It is not my real name, but rather the name I have chosen to go by._

_Three weeks ago, I awoke in the care of the Belladonna family without any memories of my past. During my stay, I learned that my body was crumbling. The only reason I was alive was because of a demon calling itself Griffon, who entered into a pact with me._

_Griffon, along with three others, are my nightmares given physical form. In order to prevent my body from breaking down, and to find the answers behind my past, I left Menagerie in search of the remaining nightmares._

_As the sun climbs high into the sky, so too does my adventure. I head for Vale, in the hopes that what I seek lies there._

.

.

.

.

.

The sea stretched on for miles, out as far as the eye could see. Nary an island or a sign of civilization could be found. The air was touched with a hint of frost, but the cold was of no consequence to V as he leaned against the railing of the ship, reading the book that Kali had given him before he left for the boat. It had proven to be a worthwhile read in his opinion, finding a nostalgic joy in reading the various idioms and expressions used.

'_**So, just to be sure, you really wanna go after the rest of them?'**_Griffon asked, his voice echoing in the back of his mind. _**'I mean, sure, it's understandable. Without us, you'd just be crumbling and turning to dirt, but you need to understand somethin' here, V! These nightmares aren't shaped and named after some of Mundus' lackies for show! They're a baaad bunch of bunnies!'**_

"All the more reason to acquire them." V responded coolly. "I need every tool at my disposal."

'_**And here I thought you wanted to live.'**_ Griffon deadpanned. _**'Fine. But where in the heck are we even going to look?! They could be anywhere in this stinkin' place! What makes you think they're in Vale?'**_

"Nothing." If it was present, Griffon would have gawked at V's reply. "Except for that they need to feed. You said it yourself. They aren't actual demons and are just mimicking their shape. They need something to sustain themselves. Shadow was already on its last legs because it couldn't receive nourishment from the Faunus in Menagerie."

'_**...okay, I think I get what you're saying.'**_ the hellish bird came to an understanding. _**'They won't exactly be discreet if they're trying to get something to eat.'**_

Of course, this also presented another question that made V concerned. Shadow had obviously not received any nourishment in spite of its feeding frenzy on Menagerie, so if the other nightmares were trying to gather strength and remain in the world, how would they do so? V's current theory was, of course, Aura – the physical manifestation of one's soul given a presence, defending them when the situation required it. Souls had as much power as strength, if not more so. If the nightmares were feeding on souls that had been invigorated, or given the ability for its owner to express itself, then perhaps it would serve as a viable source of food.

V had not chosen Vale merely based on a whim. He had done his research. He had used his Scroll to look up any incidents that had occurred within the last month in the neighboring kingdoms of Vacuo and Vale. Vale was an apparent hotbed of activity. Gang turf wars, a mass burglary ring enacted by a famous criminal, but none of these things caught his attention. They were just human affairs and squabbles. Nothing that could prove to be of use to him. Rather, he looked for things that were not concerning humans.

One article, in particular, had caught his attention.

'_In the last couple of weeks, several passengers on board a train line passing through the Forever Fall forest were reported to have gone missing. The first known case was Amanda Aqualiza. She was an office worker at a small-time newspaper company. She had apparently boarded the train passing the Forever Fall forest by mistake, on account of having worked overtime three days in a row. Camera feeds and eye witness reports show that Amanda had left to go to the bathroom in the next few cars in the back. She never returned to her seat, and when inspectors arrived, her belongings had been untouched.'_

'_The second disappearance was a twelve-year-old child by the name of Brandon Charronbeau. He was apparently on a field-trip with his class when he got separated during an unscheduled stop, due to a malfunction in one of the rear cargo freighters' security system. He and three others mysteriously vanished. Brandon and the three missing children were studying at a Combat Academy and reportedly had their Aura unlocked.'_

'_The third and most recent disappearance was Carolina Asmeralda. She was a third-year at the Huntsman Academy Beacon, where she had successfully completed a solo operation and was on her way to go visit a relative. She never made it off the train, but unlike previous cases, there were signs that Sapphire had engaged in combat. One of the cargo freighters had sustained minor damage. Bullet holes, the size and shape of which matching the rounds used by Sapphire's rifle, were found early in the morning during a routine inspection. It's believed that Sapphire engaged in an unknown assailant, possibly the one behind the string of disappearances.'_

'_Following this recent development, the Vale Police Department and Beacon Academy are conducting a joint investigation. There are no details as of yet.'_

"Tell me, my little parrot." V smiled thinly. "How well do you do on trains?"

'_**For the last freaking time, V! I ain't! A parrot! And why the hell are we talking trains?!'**_

"Oh, no reason."

* * *

Five hours later, the ship had arrived at its destination. The city of Vale's entrance from the sea was a welcome sight to V, having spend the remaining five hours doing little more than mingling with the other passengers. The first hour or so hadn't exactly been pleasant, considering his hair color and cane seemed to make people think he was an old man at first before noticing his face. The rest of the time was more enjoyable, especially since one of the passengers happened to be a Huntsman.

His opinion of that particular person was a little low, however, given that the man reeked of booze. Despite the fact, V could tell the man was a hardened veteran, especially seeing as how his hand never once left the handle of his weapon.

The white-haired teen grunted as he stretched his legs, removing the cricks from them before he grabbed his belongings and disembarked. Setting foot in the city of Vale at long last, V wondered exactly how things would go from here.

"You lech!"

He shortly got his answer when he heard a woman's shrill cry, followed by a _very_ loud smack. He craned his head and found a woman with chin-length white hair, the tips dark violet and wearing a suit stomping away with a look of irritation and disgust, leaving behind the slovenly man from earlier nursing his now bruised and red cheek.

'_**Trouble in paradise?'**_ Griffon snickered.

V rolled his eyes and continued on, not at all concerned with the affairs of others. He had more important things to do, such as finding a walking pitch-black monstrosity. He had to find out which trains would lead him through the Forever Fall forest first and check to see which one had the incidents mentioned in the news reports.

Then, the next course of action would be to determine which of the remaining two nightmares he was going to confront. Griffon was of no help, unfortunately, as while he could sense their presence, he could not determine which one it was until they actually confronted the beast. His memory of the demons the nightmares shaped themselves after was also spotty, as he could only recall that Nightmare was a powerful demon that Mundus has to seal away, while Phantom was an oversized giant spider creature. Aside from that, he had no idea what they were capable of.

It was annoying, but V knew the bird couldn't actually do anything about it. For now, he would have to play it by ear.

"Now, where should I begin…?"

* * *

After watching her brethren slaughtered in but a mere second, Ilia was not in the least bit interested in going after that white-haired monster. She did not know who he was or what he was, but she knew for certain that there was absolutely no reason to go after him.

Revenge was certainly on the minds of the White Fang when they discovered his actions, but Ilia knew that they couldn't afford to go after him right now. The brothers leading them in their birth place were facing backlash for their inability to deal with the Grimm who had somehow snuck inside the town. Their incompetence in the matter had painted them in a bad light, with many of their fellow Faunus claiming that they should just pack up and leave. They could inform the Vale branch, but the brothers were being cautious.

Ilia had delivered V's message to them, as well as making it clear that she both wanted him dead and wanted nothing to do with him. He had, after all, killed many of her brothers and sisters, but something about him made her pause. His indifference and demeanor made him different from other humans. He showed no prejudice towards them. No disdain. In fact, it seemed like he was more annoyed by the fact that they were getting in his way than anything else. And he only demonstrated anger when he had been called "weak." To Ilia, this meant that he saw Faunus as little different than humans and would leave them alone, provided they did not get in his way.

And yet, when he killed them seconds later, he did not bat an eye. He didn't relish his kill or express sadness in it. In fact, there had been no reaction at all. It was like he didn't even notice he had cut them down.

Ilia wasn't sure why, but this sort of human terrified her, least of all the fact that he could seemingly bend Grimm to his will. Actually, were they even Grimm in the first place? They lacked the white masks the monsters were known to have, and she was certain that the Grimm couldn't shapeshift their bodies into weapons or spew lightning from their bodies. Well, at least the Nevermores couldn't spew thunder. But if that was the case and they were not Grimm, then what the hell were they?

Too little information to go on, and worst of all V's character made Ilia wary. If she had it her way, she would rather have someone else deal with this problem.

Sadly, the brothers had other plans in mind.

"W-what?" Ilia stared at Corsac and Finnic as if they had just grown another head, her skin developing a blue tinge. "Y-you want me to stalk that madman?! With all due respect, sirs, are you out of your mind?!"

If they showed any displeasure with their outburst, they didn't show it. "We understand your fears, Sister Ilia." Corsac said calmly. "However, after reporting this incident to Brother Adam and the High Leader, it was decided that we cannot allow this man to go about unchecked. Yes, he has no interest in dealing with us, but his skillset has made them rather...concerned."

"To command Grimm is not something we should overlook." Finnic pointed out. "If he is truly capable of controlling them, it would be within our best interests to observe him. If he proves himself a great threat, we shall deal with him accordingly."

'_They're mad.'_ Ilia determined. _'They're all _freaking _mad. Deal with him?! How the hell are you supposed to deal with someone who can control Grimm and summon them at the drop of a hat?!'_

She remembered their encounter vividly. Her body trembled at the sight of his lithe, yet dangerous form, accompanied by a jet-black panther and a thunder-cackling bird, that wicked smile ever present.

Whoever or whatever V was, he was not someone the White Fang could handle willy-nilly. Nor did she have any desire to reunite with him anytime soon. Yet she couldn't disobey her orders. If she did, she didn't want to think about what it might do to her standing. She had worked hard to get to where she was, serving as the Albain brothers' shadow. She had plans to eventually work her way up to serving the High Leader, all so she would have the resources and opportunity to try and find Blake.

She did not have a chance in the matter, she soon realized. She had to follow and shadow V, otherwise she would put her goals in jeopardy. If only they could understand what she knew.

Subdued, she gave a meager bow of the head. "...I understand." she said gravely, almost as if she were speaking at her own funeral. "In the event I am discovered, what am I to do?"

"Sister, are you doubting your abilities?"

"With all due respect, sir, he discovered that we had been shadowing him since we learned that he planned to depart from Menagerie." she pointed out, reminding the brothers of the massacre that happened because of their folly. "On the subject of his departure… If I am to shadow him, do we know where he was heading?"

Corsac smiled. "Our scouts have reported he is heading to Vale. As for why, we cannot say. That shall be your task, Sister."

"Understood."

She stood up and left the chambers behind. Once she was certain they could not see or hear her, she cursed their names in every possible word she could muster. Idiots, the whole lot of them! They were sending her out to die!

"This is a mistake…! We're risking the lives of our brothers and sisters, and all for what? To watch some man who we know nothing about?!"

* * *

Before he would make way for the train station, V needed to investigate the disappearances even further. Since he was in Vale, where the incidents occurred, he had no doubt that the locals would provide him more information than news reports would.

That had been a challenge all on its own, as he soon realized. Vale was a big city, over a hundred thousand strong. Almost everyone was most likely aware of the incidents, and finding those who knew more about it was going to be like attempting to find needles in a pile of needles. Not an easy task by any means, but the alternative was just wasting away.

The way V saw it, obtaining his "nightmares" served more than just as a means to gain power and prolong his life. They were also clues to his past as well. When he subdued Shadow, he remembered Mundus and his brother, whose face he had yet to recall in full. Obtaining the "nightmares" to prolong his life, gaining their strengths for his own use and recalling his past.

Three birds, one stone.

The best place to look for information were places that one was bound to find a great many people. The obvious places being hang-out spots, such as cafes, parks, shops, etc.

His first stop had been the closest coffee shop near the docks. The shop itself was quaint and fairly large, and judging by the number of people coming and going in and out of its doors, then business was doing quite well. Now that he thought about it, coffee sounded like it could be of use.

God only knows how long he would be at this.

V entered the shop, pushing through the glass doors. The cafe was brimming with people. Some were seated at tables, the others at the counter. Manning the whole thing was a single woman at the cashier, hair dark-brown with autumn-burned tips and oval glasses over her face. She wore a simple button-up shirt with a black apron, though her lower half was not visible behind the counter.

'_**Man, didn't realize how much people liked coffee.'**_ Griffon commented. _**'Or, maybe, they just want to take a peek down that babe's shirt. Seriously, with how much cleavage she's showing, it looks like she's begging for some nookie! Actually, hey. Do you think this place sells Strawberry Sundaes?'**_

V paused. If he could, he would stare at the hellish bird with incredulity. "...why in the world would you want a Strawberry Sundae? And how would you even be able to consume it?"

'_**Hey, don't judge me. Those things taste great! You should know, you used to love 'em!'**_

Was that so? He couldn't remember. Then again, he didn't remember a lot of things.

V ignored the rest of Griffon's ramblings and instead looked for anyone who looked like they could provide him something about the train disappearances. If not, he would move on to the next location and try his luck there. _'The real question here, is who to ask.'_ V thought as he scoured the sea of customers. _'I'll also have to think of an excuse as to why I'm asking about this sort of information. It wouldn't do well for me to garner suspicion if I just ask out of blind curiosity.'_

Passing himself off as some sort of Huntsman might be feasible, but V didn't want to risk going down that route. He didn't know if there were requirements of being a Huntsman, such as certification and ID. He could always spoof one by finding the nearest black market, but that would be quite costly. And as much as he would just love to rob some poor bastard of all his hard-earned cash, he was in no mood to bring unwanted attention.

V's eyes eventually settled on a familiar one – the one he had seen at the docks after having just slapped a man she had been dealing with. She was sitting at a table furthest away from the crowd of caffeine-starved zombies, a pencil in one hand and coffee in the other while a journal of some kind sat in front of her. Her brow was knit closely in frustration, looking as if she was at her hair's end.

Whatever she was working on must have been quite important. He was half-tempted to take a gander, but he wouldn't want to make an ass in front of himself. Instead, he turned on his heel to continue his search, but stopped when he overheard a group of people talking.

"Hey, that woman near the window. That's Lisa Lavender, from the VNN, right?"

"Yeah. I hear she's doing that Train Disappearance story. Same as everyone else that's trying to cover that hot mess."

"Someone went missing again not too long ago, right? A Huntsman?"

"Yeah, or at least that's what they're saying. Makes you wonder who'd be dumb enough to pick a fight with a Huntsman if they're just some kidnapper."

V smiled.

'_Bingo.'_

* * *

The news was not something Lisa was fond of. In truth, she would very much have chosen another job to focus on rather than reading some random reports to go through or head to someplace and get field results and all that crap, but it had a good pay. In fact, the only reason she had chosen to get a job at a news station was because of the pay.

Originally, she had wanted to become a Huntress. Stupid, foolish dream, but Lisa did have some experience at Combat Academy. She had even been a prime candidate for Beacon Academy, but she didn't have the skills to make the cut. Worse, during Initiation that year, she suffered a debilitating injury that cut whatever career she might have had as a Huntress short. Not even intensive Aura therapy could heal the wound in her leg.

Upon realizing her thoughts were drifting back to her "glory days," Lisa grimaced and took another drink of coffee. She may hate this job, but she'd be damned if she didn't do a good job at it.

Like every other news station, she got saddled with the task of covering the recent train disappearances. All anybody knew was that someone was kidnapping people, and the more recent victim was a Huntsman-in-training. There were no ransom reports, no one claiming credit for the crimes, and the individuals who were kidnapped varied in ages. It was random, save for the fact it all occurred on the same train following the same path.

With that in mind, it was entirely possible that they were looking at a serial criminal. But what was going through the criminal's mind? Understanding what was going on in a person's head was what Lisa did best, as she planned most of her battles and encounters by taking into account their habits and methods. In this case, though, she couldn't really understand what it was she was trying to look for.

"It's like looking for a needle in a haystack." Lisa grumbled. "Who's kidnapping these people? Shit. Couldn't the boss have asked somebody else to do this?"

"Trouble in paradise?"

"What was your first clue?" Lisa snarked before stopping. She looked up and found a young man in his early to mid twenties in front of her. He was very easy on the eyes and dressed in black, his torso utterly bare save for the open black jacket he wore. As a result, she was given a very generous look at his torso. He had no muscle, but his slim frame more than made up for it. His hair was stark white and was leaning on a cane. "Can I help you?"

"Perhaps." The young man replied. "Truth be told, I was hoping you could help me." He gestured to the chair. "May I?"

Lisa shrugged. "Knock yourself out." The young man nodded his head in thanks and sat down across from her. "So, got a name stranger?"

"I have no name. I am but two days old." She quirked an eyebrow at that response whereas he gave her a small smile. "Just kidding. You can call me V. And you are… Lisa Lavender, of the Vale News Network, yes?"

"You follow my work?"

"Not really. Though I did hear you're investigating the train disappearances."

"Me and practically everyone else in the news business." She commented dryly. "Why are you so interested? Are you a Huntsman by chance looking for justice?"

V snorted. "More like a...concerned citizen." Lisa raised an eyebrow, but shrugged.

She had to admit, this guy seemed a little interesting. A bit overboard on the goth, maybe, but interesting. An air of mystery, or perhaps that was just her inner teenage self talking. She did find his curiosity a bit suspicious, though. If he was a Huntsman, she could understand, but a supposed concerned citizen? It didn't take a genius to figure out that anyone who called themselves that weren't really what they claimed. Sure, Lisa was willing to believe there were genuinely concerned citizens, but nine times out of ten, they didn't have any real power to do anything. More often than not, people who called themselves "concerned citizens" were actually people who were trying to get the reward money.

70,000 lien for anybody who could find the missing people, issued directly by the Kingdom's governing authorities and more than willing to pay that money from their own pockets. Add that to the reward money of the parents of the missing people, and the reward was bumped up by another 70,000. That kind of money was enough to make a person salivate.

She had a few theories about what was going on, but she had standards. She didn't trust easily. She wasn't about to give her personal thoughts to someone who she just met.

"Okay, _V_. Tell me something." Lisa leaned on her elbow. "If you're just a so-called concerned citizen, what are you going to do with the reward money?"

The white-haired stranger smiled strangely. "You're assuming the kidnapped people are still alive and breathing."

Lisa stared at him for a moment, studying his features before speaking again. "So, you don't think they're still alive?"

"The odds are fifty-fifty. Whoever or whatever is taking people is doing so quite discreetly. No witnesses, no blood. Just a clean getaway with very little evidence, despite some being of the victims being trained in combat. Everyone is just automatically assuming the victims are alive because there's little evidence of any signs the victims were killed."

"A good point, but what exactly are you getting at?"

"How certain are you and everyone else that the kidnapped individuals are still alive by the time the train arrives at its destination, or left the train warm and breathing?"

Lisa narrowed her eyes. Once more, she studied this odd man before she sighed and slumped in her seat. "Absolutely nothing. You aren't from Vale, are you?"

"Arrived here only today. Spent some time in a small island close to Vacuo. Why do you ask?"

"Because there's very little murders here in Vale." Lisa lectured. "Sure, the kingdom's no stranger to crime. You hear about car jackings, robberies and every other kind of criminal activity, but never murder. Why? Because Vale is known to have the most active Huntsman than the other Kingdoms. Hell, chances are, anybody walking down the street with any kind of weapon is a Huntsman, or at the very least a student at Beacon Academy. With people like that prowling around, you'd have to be pretty ballsy to try something like that."

She paused to take a sip of the cup next to her, then continued.

"There's also the fact that killing someone and leaving their body to find will raise the negativity in the area. Let me ask you something, V. Between common criminal activities, especially robberies where items can eventually be replaced and earned back, and murders, which is more likely to potentially bring Grimm?"

V smiled wryly. "The latter, of course. Like you said, what is stolen can be replaced at some point, or you can take it back. Once you take someone's life, you can't return it. They're dead and gone, and all that's left is to move on. But what are you going to do when people star to notice that there are more and more bodies racking up?"

"You catch on quick." Lisa noted, happy to be conversing with someone that actually had a brain. "The reason why everyone insists that the people who are kidnapped are still alive is because they aren't willing to admit there's someone out there killing random people. It's also why the Kingdom officials are trying to limit what the media is saying."

"I figured as much." He tilted his head. "But what about you, Ms. Lavender? What do you think?"

"Like everyone else in the news place. Someone is kidnapping people, and everyone is trying to find out the 'why' and the 'who'." After having said that, her eyes turned cold. "I think that the people who were taken aren't alive anymore. And that they're a psycho who doesn't care about Vale and does whatever the hell he pleases by trying to raise the negativity here in the Kingdom."

"What makes you say that?"

Lisa looked around the cafe, checking to see if anyone was listening. She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "...be honest with me. Why are you really looking into this case?"

"Let's just say I might have an idea what's behind all this. And that I'd love more than anything to have a nice chat with them."

_'What.'_ Not _'who.'_ Lisa noted his choice of words, then made a decision. She dug into her purse and pulled out her notebook. She held it out for the stranger to take, earning a quirked eyebrow in return. "Don't make me regret this, kid." Lisa hissed as he hesitantly took the book and opened it up. "Like I got done saying earlier. Officials are keeping info limited. But, everything has a way of spilling out. You can't keep a tight lid on forever. Not on something like this."

V looked at the contents of the notebook, eyes narrowed. There were a series of pictures glued on to the pages, with small little notes scribbled to the side and arrows pointing to the corresponding pictures. Despite the official pictures that were released to the media, showcasing the places where the victims were taken and the state of what they assumed was where a battle had taken place between the kidnapper and one of its victims, he only saw blood splatters on the walls, along with black liquid.

"...I see." he said after studying the pictures. He let out a dark chuckle and closed the notebook, handing it back to her. "They know full well that the people on board that train who have been kidnapped are dead. How did you acquire these photographs? I would assume no one wants these photos to be seen."

"You expect me to tell you, a total stranger, where I got these? When having these alone would result in me getting my ass kicked to the curb or put in a cell?" Lisa scoffed. "You're funny. Anyway, is your curiosity satisfied now?"

"Oh, yes. Thank you. This has been most informative." He left his stool and grabbed his cane.

Lisa watched him walk away and bit her lip. This was a huge risk she was taking, telling all of that to someone she just barely met based on a few judgment calls. For all she knew, he was just some nobody. And yet, her instincts were saying otherwise. There was also that subtle feeling she got from him. That one little thing that made her curious.

"Earlier, you said you knew what was going after those people." Her words gave him pause as he stopped to look at her over his shoulder. "Most people would assume it's a person. What makes you think it isn't some nutjob?"

V smirked. "If this was the work of a human being, there would be a body left for you to find." And with that, he left.

His response left Lisa more questions than answers. If it had been a human, there would still be a body? But that didn't make much sense. "What the hell do you know?"

* * *

**_'So, let me get this straight. The big wigs of this place are covering up the fact that people are getting their giblets being eaten like a Thanksgiving turkey from everyone, just because they don't want a bunch of big scary monsters knocking at their front door while lying to everyone that said people, all of whom are now resting inside the belly of a Nightmare, are still alive and even offering a reward?'_**

Griffon's exasperation was well-earned. Though he understood why the government felt the need to hide these facts from everyone, V couldn't help but think of Vale's ruling powers as nothing more than idiots. It would have been better for them to try and resolve the issue as quickly as they could by using what information they had and hiring a Huntsman, but clearly that was not the case. They were instead being idiots, and based on what knew and what Lisa Lavender had finished telling him, they were relying on the police.

Who clearly weren't doing their job, seeing as how this had been going for weeks now, and there was still no progress.

"Then again, I suppose I can't fault them for their failings." V mused as he made his way towards the station. "After all, they think they're hunting a madman."

_**'Yeah, but come on. You gotta admit, they suck at their job regardless.'** _Griffon grunted. '_**Anyway, I think this goes without saying, but you should try and not to get yourself killed. From what little I remember, Phantom and Nightmare, the demon and not us, were no pushovers. Old Molten Bug was one of Mundus' top soldiers before he ended ups crewing himself over and got demoted to being some stupid lackey. Nightmare? That thing was so dangerous Mundus decided it'd be better to keep the damned thing under lock and chain!'**_

"Why?"

_**'Because, if he didn't, it'd tear apart the whole freaking Underworld. And between you and me, I'd think we have better chances with Phantom than that shit show.'**_

V pursed his lips. If the manifestation of his darkest dreams was anything like the real thing, he could benefit from Nightmare's power. Whether he had the power to temper and control it was the question. He wouldn't know who or what his enemy was, at least not until he confronted it. He arrived at the station and took note of the atmosphere. Depressing, anxiety and weariness. There was hardly anyone around, though that was to be expected, given the number of incidents that had been occurring on the line. If it continued, no matter what reward they were offering and the downsides of what it would do in the long run, the Kingdom would have to shut down the line temporarily until the kidnapper was found and caught.

And once the nightmare's source of fast food vanished, it would have to move on. He couldn't have that.

V set his Scroll over the terminal, registering him to the system before he stepped inside the train. He took a seat closest to the back and took out the book of poems Kali had given him before he departed Menagerie.

"_I curse my stars in bitter grief and woe, that made my love so high and me so low..._" he recited one of the lines before frowning slightly.

It had been the first time since he opened the book, but he couldn't help and feel that he had heard that line before.

* * *

_"V **#$%&**! Come here!"_

_"W-wait for me!"_

_Two boys with snow-white hair and blue eyes ran through the garden, one scrambling to catch up with the other. The garden looked something straight out of a picture book, vibrant and lovely with roses and flowers blooming almost everywhere where the grass laid. A fountainhead sat in the center, spewing water out from a statue that resembled a mermaid carrying a vase. Up above, a bright blue sky with nary a cloud in sight sat above them._

_It was a happy scene, but at the same time, there was a sense of somber sadness as well as the children ran towards a woman in a red dress, sitting in a chair with a book in her hand. Upon hearing the children coming toward her, crying excitedly and panting and covered in sweat and dirt, she set the book down on the table and smiled._

_"Mom! Mom!" one of the boys reached her first, followed by his brother. "I finally beat V **#$%***!"_

_"Did not!" the other brother screeched. "You headbutted me! That was against the rules!"_

_"Now now," the woman laughed gently as she put her hand on her sons' heads. "It doesn't matter who won. Did you two at least play nice?"_

_The second brother nodded. "Of course we did! ...well, at least until Dante started saying bad words."_

_"Traitor!" The woman arched an eyebrow as she turned to the guilty party. "You promised you wouldn't tell!"_

_"Dante..."_

_The boy pouted. "B-but you and dad say those words whenever you argue. Why can't we?"_

_"Because we're grown-ups. If I hear you saying a bad word, I'll wash your mouth out with soap."_

_"Eep!"_

_After having delivered the threat that made the boy pale and the brother sent into snickering giggles, the woman smiled again and pulled out something from her pocket. "But, enough about that. I have a gift for you two boys." They perked up, staring with starry eyes as she pulled out a pair of pendants. Both had a beautiful red jewel in the center, but one was encased in silver while the other was wrapped in gold. She gently put both pendants around their necks. The boys held the pendants preciously, afraid it could fall off and shatter if touched the ground._

_Smiling still, she pulled her children close to her. In response, the twins giddily hugged her back._

_"I love you. My precious sons..."_

* * *

_**'...V? Hey, V! Wake up, you lazy bastard!'**_

V groaned as his consciousness returned to him. To his confusion, he felt something over his face. It was his book, somehow sitting over his face and not in his hands. He pulled the book away from him and rubbed his eyes while rolling his neck, ridding him of the aching cricks in his bones. He must have passed out at some point while reading.

_**'About time you woke up!'** _Griffon growled. _**'We're getting close that Forever something place! This ain't no time to be sleeping on the job! ...hey, what's with you?'**_

The hellish bird, while not physically present, could tell that something had disturbed V. His eyes were misty, as if on the verge of tearing up. Internally, his emotions were flaring and mixing with sadness.

"It's nothing." V dismissed as he closed the book shut. "Just...a dream is all." He pushed himself off the seat and stretched his legs. As he prepared to move out, however, he stopped and paused when he saw something quite intriguing.

Namely, two people close to the cargo cars at the far back, combating what looked to be a giant metal mech.

_**'...well. That ain't something you don't see everyday.'**_

"Indeed. I wonder-" He stopped when he saw it. It was brief and he almost missed it, but he caught it. A pair of dark-blue eyes, eight in total, glowing in the shadows of the car directly behind the two people in combat. "...Griffon. Is that our quarry?"

_**'Yep. Can feel it from here. Can't tell if its Nightmare or Phantom, though. How do we deal with the two brats out there?'**_

Ideally, it would be better to defeat the nightmare and take its power without anyone nearby. If someone saw him absorbing the power of what looked like a creature of Grimm, people were going to start asking questions. Some more hostile and suspicious than others.

V glanced over to the other side of the train. They were rapidly approaching the tunnel - the same tunnel where the victims would disappear. Assuming he was correct, and those two did defeat that mech, they would be the nightmare's next meal.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "By ear it is, then."

* * *

Ever since she had left Menagerie behind, Blake Belladonna couldn't help but feel as if she had made a mistake.

In hindsight, she probably should've seen it in the first place. Instead of listening to her parents and follow them as they left the now changed White Fang, she was stubborn and stayed behind, calling them traitors to the Faunus.

Oh how she wished she could take those words back.

For they were right. It had been a mistake to stay behind.

Adam wasn't the same anymore. After that trip to a village gone wrong, he became different. Angrier. Frightening. He never laid a hand on her, of course, but his words, once passionate and gentle, had become scathing with a hint of venom. The boy she once admired was gone, all because he murdered someone to protect her father and was praised for it. After that, she heard that there were more and more casualties. More people he killed. And each day, it was becoming more frequent.

She didn't know when it had gone wrong, or when the White Fang had suddenly changed, but she knew one thing. It wasn't her father's organization anymore. It wasn't the same family she grew up with. It wore the same face, but it was a different person underneath that mask now.

Initially, she had reservations. She wanted to leave, but at the same time, she wanted to have faith. She still wanted to believe that there was still some good in the White Fang, and in Adam.

But...

_"What about them?"_

That was his answer when she asked about the fate of the passengers. The plan was to set off a bomb that would go off once they reached the rendezvous point. The bomb would blow up the car ahead of them and separate the cargo from the rest. The force of the bomb, though, would also disturb the motion of the train. Enough to the point where the car could bounce off the tracks and drag the rest of the train down.

Three words. Three simple words that told her that the person she looked up to was gone.

As things stood, Blake had two choices. Stay or leave. This was her best opportunity. She could cut off the links connecting the cargo from the train, then leave with the rest. Adam could take care of himself, he was stronger than her after all. He taught her everything she knew. There was no way he'd die so easily, but could she really bring herself to abandon him?

The fight against Atlas' giant machinery ended the second it fired its laser cannon. Adam raised his sword in front of him, partially withdrawn from its sheathe and absorbed the energy blast completely. Seconds later, his mask lit up along with pieces of his clothing before he shot forward and cut the machine down. For a brief moment, the world changed into black and red. The machine, severed from its waist, broke apart into petals that slowly dissolved.

Adam's sword slid back into its sheathe with a 'ka-lick'. Blake grimaced, gripping her sword tightly. It was time to decide.

"My my. That was quite a show you two put on."

Startled, Blake whirled around. Somehow, a strange man around her age had sneaked up behind her. He looked rather frail, garbed in dark clothing while supporting himself on a silver cane. Perched on his shoulder was a strange bird with dark blue feathers and a wicked-looking beak. Faintly, she could smell the scent of thunderclouds from its feathers.

Her instincts told her that there was something wrong with the bird. It wasn't a Grimm. At least, not one she recognized, but it was definitely unordinary.

"And who are you, human?" Adam questioned as he walked up next to Blake.

"Just someone passing by. As I said, it was quite the interesting display you just had."

"And what of it?" The red haired man rested his hand on the hilt of his blade.

"Just curious." he smiled as he held up his cane and pointed it at them. Or rather, something behind them. "Think you can pull it off with something a bit more..._deadly_?"

The train entered the tunnel. To a human, seeing in the dark was hard but not impossible. For a Faunus, there was no difference. They turned around and immediately saw something lunge at them, only for the hellish bird on the strange man's shoulder to shoot past them and spread its wings.

**"OPEN WIDE, YA FAT BASTARD!"**

Thunder exploded in front of them, repelling their new opponent enough for it to be sent back to the other end of the car. Stunned and taken off guard, Blake and Adam could only stare for a moment as they took in the sight of...whatever it was in front of them.

It was a spider, or at least resembled one. Rock-like armor covered its body while revealing flowing blue liquid underneath, leaking down to the tips of its legs and dripping off of its body. Beady red eyes glared back at them while a pair of fist-sized mandibles clicked audibly in irritation.

"A Grimm?" Blake whispered in fear. "Here?!"

Adam growled, hand immediately reaching for his sword. "How the hell did it get on board?!"

"It's been on this train for a while." the strange man said as he walked past them. Blake stared at him as if he were insane, watching him approach the creature nonchalantly while the hellish bird returned to his shoulder. "Haven't you heard? Quite a few people have been disappearing on board this train." He eyed the creature curiously, cane tapping against his shoulder. "You must have had quite a feast. How many people with aura have you eaten to sustain yourself?"

**"WHY SHOULD I ANSWER A WORTHLESS QUESTION LIKE THAT?**" Blake choked as a garbled, spiteful voice growled from the giant spider in front of her. Since when could Grimm talk?! **"THAT ATTACK JUST NOW... WHAT SORT OF MISERABLE CREATURE ARE YOU TO DARE HARM ME? MOREOVER, YOU DARE STOP ME FROM HUNTING MY PREY?"**

The bird squawked at the creature. **"Says the guy who's resorting to eating a bunch of scraps!"**

Her head started to hurt. Now the bird was talking? If it was a parrot, she'd be willing to believe it, but what the hell was that thing? Now that she thought about it, it was the one that shot out those volts of thunder earlier. She heard of there being some cases about animals possessing Aura, and there were more than a few theories that they could also potentially develop a Semblance, but being able to speak?

**"YOU DARE MOCK ME?"** The spider pounded one of its legs into the ground beneath it, denting the metal as it leered closer, only to stop. **"YOU... I RECOGNIZE YOU. THAT ONE WAS OUR HOST."**

_'Host?'_ Blake turned to Adam, whose eyes never left the strange sight before him. He looked ready to move in and attack, but she was inclined to sit back for a while longer.

**"Good, you understand."** the bird snorted. **"Now listen here, you big ugly excuse of an arthropod. Either you make a contract with us, or we take you down here and leave you to melt away into a puddle of ugly muck. Better make your choice now!"**

The conversation was lost to her. She really didn't understand what was going on. Contract? What did that mean? There was so much about this that she didn't understand. What was she supposed to do? Intervene? Run? She couldn't decide.

The demonic spider's answer was immediate.** "DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH. LOOK AT HIM! HE DOESN'T HAVE MUCH DEMONIC POWER, NOR STRENGTH. HE'S JUST A PIECE OF TRASH. AN EMPTY SHELL!"** The strange man's hair overshadowed his eyes as the cane's tip touched the floor underneath him. The bird looked back and forth between its owner and the monster worriedly. **"HE'S A WEAKLING! WHAT KIND OF DEMON WOULD BOW ITS HEAD TO A MISERABLE, WORTHLESS HUMAN?!"**

_'Demon._' Not Grimm. A term Blake didn't recognize at all. Was that it was? A demon?

**"AND YOU WANT TO LIVE BY CLINGING TO THIS PIECE OF TRASH LIKE A PARASITE?! YOU ARE THE WEAKLING!"**

**"Whoa, hey now! L-let's not get too hasty!"** The confidant tone the bird had disappeared and turned to fear. **"C'mon, V! Deep breaths! Deep breaths! You need to have a cool mind to negotiate!"**

**"NEGOTIATE?!"** the demon spat. **"WHAT A FARCE! IF YOU STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND, ALLOW ME TO SIMPLIFY IT FOR YOU."** It leaned in, face close to the now-named V. **"I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN SERVE SOMEONE AS WORTHLESS, WEAK, AND AS PATHETIC AS A MERE HALF-BREED!"**

Blake looked at the human, wondering what his reply would be. A short moment later, she heard him speak.

"Is that so? I understand..."

He raised his head. Her blood chilled.

A vicious smile touched his face, but his eyes were ice cold.

"I have no need for a dog who only barks."

He rammed his cane into it. In the next moment, the tattoos on his body tore away from his skin, turning into a black inky substance that crawled up his arm and up the cane before it suddenly exploded. Sharp blades grew from the substance and cut straight into the demon's body, gorging into its shell and causing its inky-blue body to splatter its substance all across the walls of the tunnels and the ground beneath it.

The train exited the tunnel just in time for Blake's eyes to see the demon wail and back away, snarling and frothing with anger as a jet-black panther formed from the black substance, now standing at V's side.

"You two." V craned his head. "If you don't want to die, leave. This one..." He pointed to the demon. "...is mine."

Blake had no response. Her mind was still processing what just happened. What was going on? Who was this guy? And what is that monster? And did he just summon a panther from his tattoos?!

"Blake." Adam was the one to snap her out of her stupor with a shake of the shoulders. "We should leave...whatever that...thing is, it's not our problem."

She nodded shakily. They made a move to turn to the car up ahead, but the demon clearly had no intention of letting them leave as it leaped into the air and over to the other side of the car. Blake screamed and scrambled back, falling on her rear as the creature raised its leg with the intent of skewering her. Adam quickly moved to defend her, sword raised as he stopped the leg from crashing down on top of her.

"Adam!"

"Blake!" Adam hissed, struggling to keep the leg from piercing them both. "Get out of here! You-"

He got no further than that when the demon, annoyed and infuriated by his interference, swatted him away like a fly with its other leg, sending him flying off the train and down into the depths of the mountain below them. "NO!" Blake screamed. Shock and horror settled into her being before fury took over, quickly taking hold of her weapon. The demon slammed its leg down on top of her, only to instead skewer one of her shadows. "YOU MONSTER!"

She leaped to charge at it, only for something to pull her back and yank her out of the air. At that moment, the hellish bird shot straight past her, electricity cackling around its body. She turned to find the panther, form distorted and vaguely resembling some kind of claw, holding her back.

"Didn't I tell you to run?" V walked past her, his eyes still murderous and full of fury. "Unless you have a death wish, I suggest you flee."

"Who are you?" she glared at him. "What is that thing?! What the hell is going on here?!"

"What's happening is none of your concern." V said coldly as he glared at her. "Now, run. I refuse to be the one to explain to Kali why I let the daughter she talked my ear off about get herself killed just because her boyfriend died in front of her."

Blake felt her heart stop.

_'He knows my mom?'_

**"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"**

The demon tore its way through the cargo car, tearing apart any pieces of cargo and freighters lying around while spewing blue liquids from its body. V narrowed his eyes before he gestured towards the panther. It let out a growl of response, then threw Blake up into the air, leaving her flailing as she attempted to get her balance back. She heard the demon screech and try to snatch her out of the air, only to receive another blast of thunder towards its unprotected belly, stunning it long enough for Blake to avoid it and smash through the roof of the car ahead of the cargo car.

She hit the floor on her backside, landing directly onto her spine. Though her aura protected her from most of the damage, it still hurt like hell. Groaning and rubbing her back, she quickly attempted to get back to the freighter car, only to see the panther standing where the cable was, form changing into a blade.

With a swift cut, half of the train was detached and slowly breaking away from the main car. All the while, Blake could do nothing but watch as the strange man combated an otherworldly abomination. As the sight grew farther and father away from her, the tension and adrenaline in her systems slowly drained away. Her legs gave out from underneath her, and all she could do was whimper and sob.

This wasn't how she wanted to leave.

* * *

**"Okay, good news!"** Griffon happily informed him as he circled around back to V. **"Kali's kitten cat daughter is out of the way and the car's detached. Bad news? Phantom is _pissed_!"**

"I can see that." V grunted as he jumped to the side to avoid another skewering limb. He raised his cane to parry another strike as he kept his distance to figure out a plan.

**"Well, since Daddy-long legs here is out to gut us...any bright ideas?"** Griffon commented as he shot off another bolt of lightning.

Any ideas, he asked. What did he think he was doing while trying to avoid becoming a corpse? Admittedly, he did have a plan, but it was still a work in progress. Compared to when he fought Shadow, Phantom was much stronger. Had V tried to fight him with only Griffon, he would have died long before he struck the first blow. The nightmare was also very livid for having been struck, though the feeling was mutual. Its words lit a fire under him, and he was very eager to make that oversized bug kneel before him and beg for mercy.

Phantom continued to swing its legs at him, hoping to bat him off the train or skewer him. The car was detached from the rest of the train, so it was gradually beginning to lose speed. Once it reached a snail's pace, it was time to get off. He felt he'd have a greater advantage out in the forests of Forever Fall than in a wide open space.

**"HOLD STILL, YOU LITTLE BASTARD!"** Phantom spewed another spray of liquid at him. He rolled out of the way off to the side and evaded. The liquid splattered along most of the doorfame leading into the next car, which then began to melt and sizzle and hiss.

V grimaced. "Well, that's pleasant." he said dryly before getting back up to his feet. Shadow slid to his side and its form rippled. "Gouge 'em." The beast like entity snarled and leaped at its target. Phantom staggered as Shadow tried to claw out its eyes. Suddenly, the top half of Shadow's body expanded and morphed into spikes. One spike in particular pierced into the shell, but was unable to break through the stone armor and reach the nightmare's flesh. V cursed. "Too thick, huh?"

**"Well, any other bright ideas?!"**

"Everyone behind us is just cargo, including Dust, right?" he looked at the cars behind him.

**"Should be, but what does that hafta to do with...oh, you can't be fucking serious."**

The white-haired man smirked. He swiftly turned on his heel and entered the car behind him. Phantom, seeing his fleeing form, roared in rage as it threw Shadow off. **"COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE BASTARD!"**

The spider-like demon scuttled after V while Griffon flew after it.

**"You are insane, do you realize that?"** Griffon hissed at him as they ran. Behind them, Phantom tore through the car, easily ripping through the metal and tossing aside whatever was inside and out into the wilderness, frothing with anger. **"Also, I hope you realize if anybody figures out we did this, the SCD or whoever the heck owns these pieces of crap are gonna want you to pay for all this."**

"Well, let's hope they don't find out then, hm?" V countered. He ducked and slid forward when he felt danger approach, narrowly avoiding one of Phantom's thin legs striking him before rolling back up into his feet. Shadow shot into the car and broke through the window, joining his side and forming back into his tattoos. Needing to go faster, the nightmare formed into a mist below his feet, carrying him forward. "How much further until we reach the back car?"

**"I would say...about now!"** Upon Griffon's prediction, they immediately ran up to the final car of their train section. **"Well, now we're stuck...unless you plan on jumping off a moving train, smart guy."**

The train hadn't reached the point where it could slow down. It was still going fast. If he attempted to jump off now, he would risk breaking his neck. Right now, though, he didn't have much choice. He looked up and pointed his cane at the roof. Seconds later, Shadow lunged and changed into a blade, cutting a hole straight through the roof. V jumped up and grabbed the newly-made hole, pulling himself up to the top. He was greeted with powerful winds blowing up against him, nearly knocking him off his feet.

**"Okay, now what?"** Griffon demanded.

Before V could answer, the car trembled. Phantom crawled up to the top, digging its legs into the car while growling. Its beady eyes glared hatefully at V, who in turn glared back. **"NOWHERE TO RUN, TRASH."**

Like a hunter stalking its prey, Phantom slowly approached and made sure there was no way V could escape. The man slowly pulled his way back until he reached the very edge of the car. He glanced behind him, seeing only the quickly retreating landscape behind him. He looked back, Phantom gradually getting closer. His eyes then fell to the hole where he emerged from.

**"Seriously, V!"** the hellish bird squawked fearfully. **"Do you have a plan or what?!"**

**"YOU WILL REGRET DARING TO CROSS ME, YOU WHELP."** Phantom hissed. **"NOW YOU'LL DIE LIKE THE WEAKLING YOU ARE."**

V smirked. "No. You are the one who will die with regrets." Phantom howled with fury and sped up its approach. The man then proceeded to jump off the train, right at the exact moment Phantom reached the hole. The tattoos on his body shifted subtly. "Griffon, now!"

**"I hope you know what you're doing!"** He didn't ask anymore questions and instead let loose with as powerful as a thunderbolt as he could, shooting it straight into the car below Phantom. At that same exact moment, Shadow manifested and wrapped around his body like an inky black blanket.

In the next second, the car and everything surrounding it became engulfed in a mixture of fire, smoke, thunder and ice.

* * *

Cinder walked through the halls of the keep warily, slowly approaching the room where her master was guiding her. Every time she stood in her presence of the woman who gave her everything she could ever want, she could only act with a sliver of fear. She could take what was given to her any time she wanted, and she was vastly more powerful than she could ever hope to become. She feared the consequences of even the slightest mistake.

Ever since word reached her ears about Salem making a curious acquisiton, she wondered whether she should question her superior. The only reason she had not spoken was out of fear she would overstep her boundaries.

"You have been awfully quiet, Cinder." Salem noted as they walked. Up ahead, she could see the doors leading to their destination. A chamber that housed her newest acquisition and possible ally. "It is quite unlike you."

"Apologies, my lady." Cinder's voice was tight, careful to choose her words.

"I do not need apologies for something you have not done. Come. Speak your mind."

Was it really okay? Was this another test? It was always so hard to tell, and half the time Cinder was unsure. Though her master had been pleased that she had obtained the powers of the Fall Maiden, even if only a portion, she as still careful not to overstep her boundaries.

"...if I may ask, about the person you found outside the keep-"

To Cinder's surprise, Salem laughed. "Is that all?" She looked at her young ward, a strange smile on her face. "I was expecting a more curious question. But, to answer it, you are going to meet with them soon enough. They will be in charge of your training from this point forward. Assuming you pique their interest."

Cinder frowned, but said nothing.

For as long as she could remember, Salem had always been the one to teach her how to fight and use her abilities. She was the one who taught her how to use the power of the Fall Maiden and how to use her Semblance in tandem with it. Thus, it was very odd that she would tell her that her training would go to another instead. A complete stranger who she found only a few days ago.

Just who was this person to have impressed her, the witch that commanded all of Grimm kind, to entrust her training to her?

Eventually, they arrived in front of the doors that led into the chamber, where the man of the hour awaited. Salem pushed open the doors with a flick of her hand and stepped inside, Cinder following after her.

The latter froze the moment she saw him. As impossible as the thought crossed her mind, she came face-to-face with a being who instilled her with terror. More than Salem ever could.

Roots had taken up residence within the chamber, protruding out from the walls and floor while converging on a single point. A throne was erected, carved from rock and crystal while an unearthly creature sat upon it, body covered in bone-white armor. Some of its body was also covered by the roots, a few even digging into its flesh, grayish-blue and leathery. Faintly, beneath the armor and collection of roots that adorned its body, Cinder could see glowing eyes dotting its flesh. It's face was wrapped in the roots, enough so that she could only make out its mouth and eye.

"It has been a while." Salem, not in the least bit perturbed by its appearance, bowed her head. "Tell me, how goes your recuperation?"

**"...slow."** The monster's voice was cold. It brought a shudder down Cinder's spine, along with an unpleasant chill. Worst of all, she could feel some sort of pressure crashing down upon her shoulders. **"Your pools make a poor substitute for the Qlipoth, but they will suffice for now."** It leveled its eyes on to Cinder. She showed weakness and looked away, unable to meet its gaze. **"You have brought a whelp with you."**

"My student." Salem introduced her. "And a key cog to my operations. I would like if it you could offer her training."

Cinder choked when she felt the pressure intensify. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her mistress standing still, but her posture had changed significantly. She could tell she was ready to engage in battle. When she dared to look up, she saw the creature's face had twisted into a snarl. It leaned forward, eyes ablaze.

**"And why..."** it spat. **"Would I offer my time to an insignificant pile of flesh?"**

Salem casted a glance to Cinder. Her eyes told her everything.

_'Impress him.'_

She gulped, swallowing a giant lump in her throat. She met the monster's gaze, all the while struggling to keep her fear under control. She practiced her exercises, taking slow and deep breaths. She despised this feeling. Feeling fear and helplessness. It reminded her of how she was before Salem found her and picked her off the streets. She would not allow these feelings to rule her. No, she would rule over them.

She would not yield.

Her hands curled into fists. A scorching heat burned into her palms as she forced herself to stop shaking and focus on the pain. She took a step forward.

"I want to be strong." Her voice returned to her, tone low but just loud enough for the monster in front of her to hear. "I want to be feared. I want to be powerful." Power surged through her. Faintly, her eyes glowed. "I want power."

The monster stared at her, judging for her all that she was worth. Salem watched the proceedings, unable to determine whether or not her ward had managed to earn the creature's favor before it leaned back into its throne.

**"...a good answer."** the creature said after a minute of silence. **"For a human."**

It raised a clawed hand, pulling it into a fist. A black tear clawed its way into existence, manifesting beside its throne. The dark shape continued to manifest. It first appeared as a female body. But as it continued to rise and grow, such thoughts were dashed from Cinder's mind. What started as one body became three. And they were not separate. They were three, black eyed women melded together. Even then, it did not stop there. Rising from the ground, fused with the female amalgamation was a massive, bird-like body comparable to a giant Nevermore.

But that is where the similarities stopped. The creature had no feathers, but large, clawed arms instead. Its head also resembled more like a baby bird's. And the pressure it exuded. It was just _wrong_.

She wanted to gag and vomit. The smell emanating from this beast was absolutely nauseating. It was rancid, a mixture of rotting flesh and fish left out in the sun for days on end.

**"You called for me, my master?"** the demonic woman asked, voice full of reverence as she and the bird bowed its head in respect.

The monster gestured to Cinder.** "You will teach this whelp in your arts. Whether she survives or not is none of my concern."**

**"If this one may be honored to ask, why have you decided on this course of action?"**

**"She desires power. Let us see if she is willing to withstand the consequences to obtain it."**

The woman cackled. **"I see.**" Her attention turned to Cinder. The girl felt her skin crawl as she approached, the grotesque bird now directly in front of her. **"Today is your lucky day, girl. It is not often that a pathetic creature such as yourself would gather my master's attention."**

"What are you?" Cinder found herself asking.

**"Who am I, you ask?**" the monstrosity before her laughed. **"From today forth, my name will be the name of your god. I am all that you will worship until the day you are a corpse, rotting and decaying while your soul burns. I am your lord and master. I will be your lover and parent. I will be your friend and teacher."**

The grotesque bird lowered its head, enough for the horrific woman to lean forward and cup Cinder's cheek. For her part, Cinder remained remarkably still and showed no fear, despite her mind screaming at her to get away.

**"I am Malphas. Mark my words, little girl, I will carve Hell's mightiest sorcery into your very _soul_."**

* * *

_**"He who desires, **_  
_**but acts not, **_  
_**breeds pestilence."**_

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks to Daemon for helping me get this out here. And with this, RWBY canon may or maaay not be kind of wonky, as I may have just made things worse. A power-hungry Cinder is bad enough, but a power-hungry Cinder learning demon magic? Plus demons now in Remnant?

Yeah, the future is not looking good for Remnant.

Regarding V being here on Remnant, some people have expressed confusion as to whether or not this is a Fusion Fic or something. It is not. The world of Devil May Cry and RWBY are two different things. V and Urizen both found themselves in Remnant after Vergil split himself. Also, none of the DMC cast will appear in Remnant, except maybe Vergil, but that is waaaaay off into the future!

Adam is not dead. He's still alive, but now things are not gonna be looking very good for him or the White Fang.

I should mention that I felt like me and Daemon could have done the scene with Cinder and Urizen better. While it may seem odd that Urizen would accept Salem's request for him to teach Cinder, or in this case pawn off the job to Malphas, do remember that he's more or less Vergil's ambitions and lust for power. If there is just one thing, ONE THING that could make a human earn a itty-bitty bit of his respect, it is them wanting power, consequences of how they get it be damned.

Also, for those wondering whether or not V will be attending Beacon Academy or become involved in its faculty as a teacher, he will not be involved with Beacon in any capacity. He will meet the RWBY cast, yes, but he is independent. That, and stories where a character is involved with Beacon, be it as a student there or part of its faculty in some way, are kind of done to death. (Hypocritical of me to say that, seeing as how I've done that myself, but who cares?) I wanna try something different.

Anyway, I'll see you guys next chapter.

See You.


	3. From Shadows II

_This story is a work of fiction._

_Any relations to characters, living or dead, are purely coincidental._

_The authors owns none of the characters, or events, that take place here._

* * *

_**Where mercy, love, and pity dwell,  
**__**there God is dwelling too.**_

* * *

**RWBY ~ Memories of V**

* * *

_Book 1, Chapter Three_

V groaned as his consciousness stirred. His eyes opened and found himself starring at fire—the world in front of him was ablaze. The tracks and ground were uprooted from the earth, train cars overturned or buried into the scorched earth. The trees near the tracks were either knocked out from the ground, broken in half or in the middle of becoming oversized firewood. The smell of ashes faintly lingered in the air, causing his nostrils to burn in irritation.

He slowly rose up to his feet, stumbling almost and leaning on his cane for support. His head throbbed. "How long was I out?"

The question was posed not at him, but at his 'passengers.' Griffon manifested from his body and fluttered next to him. "Not long, maybe ten minutes, hell if I know!" the hellish bird squawked. "All I know is everything went boom! Me and Shadow got clocked out six ways from Sunday until you came to!"

"The blast must have been stronger than I thought," V mused and took a moment to clear his head. As the throbbing pain in his head slowly started to ebb away, he searched the demolished area for his target. To his displeasure, he found neither hide nor hair of the nightmare that had attempted to kill him only moments ago. "Tch. Phantom must have escaped while I was unconscious."

"I don't sense him anywhere close by. He's gotta be pretty wounded, though. He's got way more juice than Shadow did, but surviving a blast that big? It'll be a while before he shows his ugly ass face anytime soon." Griffon perched himself atop V's shoulder and stared at his host. "So, what now?! Do we try and find that creepy-crawly asshole and take him before he has a chance to recover, or do we cut our losses?"

"By all means, point me in the right direction."

If the smell of ozone was of any indication, Griffon didn't appreciate V's attempts at sarcasm. Regardless, chasing after something that left no trail was pointless. He would only be wasting his time trying to pursue it now, especially in a place as wide and as expansive as Forever Fall. It didn't help that there was no discernable land markers he could use and not a hint of civilization in the horizon. Wherever he was, he was deep in the forest—worst of all Grimm territory.

He sighed and ran a hand through his dark locks. "Troublesome."

* * *

Adam coughed as he returned to consciousness. The last thing he could remember was protecting Blake when that weird Grimm and that strange man appeared, and the next, nothing. Just blackness. When he woke up, he felt a tight burning pain in his left abdomen. He found himself not in Forever Fall, but rather in a medical tent with makeshift beds and supplies. He recognized it easily, seeing as how it was one of the facilities he and the Vale branch set up here in the forest while going about their tasks in the city. If they situated themselves in a place like an empty warehouse, they would have a higher chance of being discovered.

Out here in the wilderness? Near Grimm territory? Not so much.

"H-how did I end up here...?" Adam wondered. He regretted his decision to sit upright when the pain in his abdomen spiked tenfold. "Argh-! Urgh, dammit..."

"I wouldn't suggest moving for a while."

An oddly familiar voice advised him, coming from right next to him. He craned his head and found a woman with tanned skin and freckles sitting on the bed adjacent to his, garbed in a sleeveless bodysuit that went down to her thighs. Her mask bore a large upward curve with small horns above the eyeholes.

Adam recognized her almost immediately.

"Ilia Amitola..."

The Chameleon Faunus nodded her head in greeting. "It's been a while, Taurus. The last time we met was back during the break-in at the Schnee Mining Site in Mistral."

Adam recalled that particular event. It occurred at least six months ago, just around the time Sienna Khan started to realize his worth and contributions to the cause. The mission went as smooth as it could get, minus the small hiccup that nearly resulted in Blake getting captured near the end. She would have been lost were it not for the fact that both the Vale and Mistral branches were cooperating in that particular mission and Ilia was the closest one there when it happened. He imagined that, if not for her, Blake would have been either imprisoned or forced into a labor camp.

The image of her being branded like all the others—like him—made his blood boil.

"Why are you here?" Adam demanded. "Did the High Leader send you?"

Ilia sighed morosely. "I wish it were that simple. A complication arose in Menagerie, and the Albain Brothers have their eyes set on someone dangerous. They asked me to shadow him."

Adam grew curious. He knew the Albain Brothers by reputation; shrewd, crafty and cunning, they organized many events and operations that were meant to drive the Faunus not united under their banner to them. There was no trickery involved, of course. They wouldn't stoop so low as to use the same tactics humans would by engineering events in their favor; all they did was take advantage of worldly events and the pent-up aggression their people already had. Sienna favored them considerably since they helped reason with their brothers and sisters in Menagerie to rally to their side, hence why they were placed in charge of the branch there. It also helped that they were working with the former High Leader, if only to keep him unaware of some of the more unsavory jobs the White Fang had begun to undertake over the years.

He wanted to ask who garnered such attention from the Albain Brothers, but right now he had more important affairs to attend to. Namely what happened to his partner and what the hell that monster on the train was.

"How long have I been out?"

"A few hours at best. A scout team found you and brought you back. You broke four ribs, but aside from that, your Aura should fix things up pretty quickly."

"And what about Blake? Is she here?"

Ilia shook her head. "She hasn't reported back yet."

Adam grew worried.

For the past few months now, her attitude had started to become a bit worrisome. Every now and then he caught her with this conflicted expression, her eyes shying away from him and the rest of their comrades. He wondered if she was having second thoughts, but that couldn't be right. She was stronger than that. Stronger that the naive fools who called them lunatics, at least. Out of everyone in the White Fang, she had to know that what they were doing was right. That some measures had to be taken if they were to get the rest of Faunus kind to realize what was happening.

If she was having doubts, then all he had to do was ease them. Prove to her that she was in the right. That they were right.

She would see reason.

"So, what happened during your mission?" Ilia questioned. "From what the medic told me, those broken ribs didn't come from hitting the ground. Did you run into trouble?"

Adam scoffed. "That's putting it mildly. There was a Grimm hiding away on the train, but it wasn't like any I've seen before."

"What do you mean?"

"It's form was completely different from the standard Grimm. It had no white bone armor. It's entire body looked like it was made of stone. What little I could see beneath its armor looked like shifting shadows. At first I thought it looked like a Deathstalker, but I realized that it was more like a giant spider with a scorpion tail." Adam described.

Ilia stayed silent as she processed the description. "...Just how big was it?"

"All I can say is that it practically filled up the train car it was in. It was that big."

The more she listened to him, the more Ilia felt a sense of dread building. For some reason, the description of this unknown entity reminded her of what happened in Menagerie.

What really concerned her was, "How did no one notice that thing aboard the train?"

"I don't know," Adam shrugged. "Whatever the case was, it's definitely no normal Grimm. It was even capable of human speech." Ilia choked. A Grimm capable of speaking in human tongue? That was possible? "It also seemed to know the human that popped up after Blake and I were supposed to set the charges. I didn't get what they were talking about, but..."

"Wait, a human showed up?" Ilia frowned. "Security detail?"

"No. It was some weak human with a weird semblance. He had a cane, dressed in black and had tattoos across his body." Adam paused when he saw Ilia's skin turn ashen white, mouth open. He couldn't see her face, but he recognized the shape her mouth was adopting as a look of dread and horror. It dawned on him immediately and set him on edge. "Ilia, was the human we encountered the one you were after?!"

"H-he is..." Ilia nodded slowly. "His name is V. I-I came here to ask for assistance in tracking him down after he left Menagerie, but you and Blake ran into him? W-what was he doing on the train?!"

"I have no idea. But if I had to guess, it had something to do with that weird Grimm. He was asking about it when he came across Blake and I."

"What happened then?"

"There was another odd Grimm. One that looked like a bird and could talk."

Ilia tensed for some reason. "Nevermore?"

"No, it didn't look right. The beak was wrong, and it could spew electricity." Adam looked at Ilia with a frown. "Who is that human? And why are the Albain Brothers so intent on watching him?"

At this, Ilia grew silent. He figured that her mission was secretive in nature and respected it, but he had to know. Whether it was intentional or not, that human and those weird Grimm were connected to each other. If they were going to be a recurring threat or something to nip in the bud, he needed to know exactly everything about that human and what they were capable of.

He waited for a few moments. Eventually, Ilia caved in and sighed deeply. "His name is V. Or at least, that's what he calls himself. He was found unconscious on the shores of Menagerie some odd weeks ago and was under the care of the Belladonna family. He's apparently suffering from amnesia. The Albain Brothers are looking into everything they can about him, but right now, my job is to shadow him and report his movements to them."

Adam grew still. "He was living with Blake's parents?" he demanded incredulously. "And they just let a human in their home so easily? What the hell is Ghira thinking?!"

"They probably just saw a man in need of help. But from what I saw, he hasn't caused them any trouble. In fact, he did his best to ensure he's not a burden. I don't know what they see in him, but they don't see him as a threat."

"Then they're too soft. They likely don't even know how dangerous he is," Adam scoffed. "Then again, Ghira had always been too lax with his policies. It's because of Sienna we're finally getting results for Faunus rights."

That being said, Adam couldn't help but feel Sienna wasn't doing enough. Yes, whenever the sensible humans looked on the streets and saw their brothers and sisters they accepted them if only out of fear, but how long would that last? Looking back at it now, Adam felt as though the White Fang wasn't doing enough to raise the Faunus up from their lot in life. Attacking facilities, stealing supplies, liberating those in chains and bringing them to the light of the ignorant masses, all of these things were easy to accomplish, but at the end of the day, the humans just wouldn't listen.

But they would listen with blood and steel, just as they always did. He saw it every time on the news, the signs of fear and trepidation people would have whenever a Faunus, when pushed to the brink, would lash out and attack like a wild animal. They expected them to be like the animals they were; obedient and collared as though they were slaves or pets. But when the cold reality set in, that the animals they treated so harshly could so easily fight back and harm them, they were oh so quick to backpedal and beg.

The memory of one such person, a man who worked a labor yard like a prison and made the Faunus working there his slaves, came to Adam's mind. Oh how he reveled in the bastard's look of terror when the slaves marched upon him after having their bonds broken and armed to fight back, how he squealed and begged to be spared.

When all was said and done, humanity wasn't superior and Faunus weren't inferior. That couldn't be farther from the truth. Adam saw it, and he knew Sienna would see it too. So would Blake, given time.

She would have to.

She _had_ to.

He'd make sure of it.

* * *

Were it not for the fact that he had absolutely no idea where he was or how far he was from civilization, V would have greatly enjoyed the beauty and splendor of the Forever Fall forest.

No matter how far he looked, the trees were covered in red leaves. The winds were surprisingly calm and blew gently through the area, carrying the discarded foliage and fallen leaves with the wind. The sun was starting to set, tinting the sky above orange with few clouds above. From atop a good vantage point, such a sight would surely have been worthy of a painter and his canvas or a photographer and his camera.

Alas, V was neither of these things, and taking in the beauty of the world was the last thing on his mind. He trudged through the woods of the red forest in silence while listening for the faintest sounds of danger. Being so deep in Grimm territory, he knew it would only be a matter of time before they showed themselves and wanted to sink their claws and fangs into a soon-to-be corpse. He could deal with them easily, but the reminder of the true nature behind his "familiars" so to speak gave him pause.

"So long as you remain within my body, the Grimm won't advance or take notice of us unless they find me, would you say that's correct?"

In his consciousness, Griffon grunted. _"Hell if I know! What do I look like, a Grimm expert?"_

V sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. So much for that, he supposed.

It wasn't that fighting off the Grimm would be difficult, though. His main concern was taking too long to deal with them. Once it was night time, he wouldn't be able to navigate the forest as easily. The branches covering the sky above his head were rather thick as were the leaves attached to the branches, shadowing the forest to the point it was rather dim. It would be difficult to navigate if it was going to be pitch-black.

For now, he would have to find a place to rest.

_*growl~*_

...and something to eat.

He realized he hasn't had a proper meal since the day prior. The body can last for a week without food. It was water that was more vital. Fortunately he still had some on hand. Unfortunately, he needed to find a proper source to replenish said supply.

If he found nothing, he would have to continue his search in the morning, where daylight can properly guide him.

"I wonder how long a demonic body can go without sustenance..." V muttered under his breath while ignoring the aching pain in his belly.

Griffon snickered. _"Well, too bad you don't have a demonic body. Sorry, Shakespeare, but this body is almost totally human!"_

"...what do you mean almost human?" V questioned.

Griffon let out a sigh. _"Right, forgot. You don't remember anything. Here's the thing, V. You're only half-human. The other half is of demon heritage. Right now, your body is missing your demonic half. I'm sure you can probably figure out the reason why."_

The white-haired man frowned. "You did tell me I suffered a great deal of damage when I woke up. However, that doesn't explain why I'm missing my demonic half."

_"What makes you think I know? I'm part of your nightmares, not your freaking oracle!"_

"Tch. Useless bird."

_"Wanna say that to my face, you bastard?!"_

V clicked his tongue and continued to walk, unaware that someone was watching him from afar.

* * *

While V was unable to secure himself food in the form of meat from any wildlife nearby, he was able to find a spring and refill his cantine before starting a small campfire using leaves, twigs and anything else that looked like it could burn. He prodded the burning kindling with another stick to keep the flames alive. He ignored the gnawing in his stomach while paying attention to his surroundings. So far, there were no sign of any enemies or predators nearby. However, he wouldn't go to sleep until he knew it was secure.

V looked up to the sky, taking note of the various stars surrounding the shattered moon. He couldn't help but wonder how such a thing was possible.

_"So, got any ideas on what the hell did that?"_ Griffon asked him.

V shrugged. "I have no idea, nor do I want to meet them anytime soon."

He stoked the fire again and stopped when he took notice of something odd. Though the fire wasn't too bright, it lit up the surrounding area enough that he saw flickering shadows of the trees and bushes. One of those shadows was different from all the others, too short or thin to be human.

He smiled wryly as he looked up. "You're not very good at hiding, are you?"

Blake Belladonna frowned at him from atop the tree branch she was on. She leaped down and landed on her feet with little discomfort, rising up to her feet.

"Who are you?" she asked him immediately, her weapon held firmly in hand.

V smirked. "I have no name. I am but two days old." The girl looked at him oddly. His smirk grew minutely in amusement. "Just kidding. You can call me V."

She then steeled her features as she held her weapon tighter. "Enough with the jokes. Who are you? Back on the train, you said you knew my parents."

"That I did."

"How do you know them?" Her voice gained a noticeable edge. "What did you do to them?"

The man rolled his eyes and poked the flames again. "They're alive and well. And I've done nothing to them, nor do I see the point in doing so seeing as how I'd be repaying kindness with malice." He glanced to see Blake staring at him, her glare still prominent but otherwise less intense. "They found me washed up on Menagerie and took me in, if you're that curious."

"Why were you on Menagerie in the first place?" she asked after a few moments of contemplation.

"If I knew the answer to that question, I would tell you. Alas, I barely had any recollection of what happened prior to your parents finding me." He answered.

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're telling me you have amnesia? That sounds a bit too convenient if you ask me."

"Make of it what you will. But what I told you is the truth. If you don't believe me, that's fine. I'm sure you could torture me for information, but I doubt you'd get very much."

For some reason, V's words caused her to flinch. "I wasn't going to torture you," she said a little to hastily.

"Truly? I could've sworn you were part of the White Fang, assuming that friend of yours was wearing a White Fang mask that I've been seeing on the news lately."

"I'm not with the White Fang anymore."

V raised a brow. "Anymore? Strange choice of words..."

"That's because I left that group."

"You mean you left right after you committed a train heist? Odd sense of priorities there."

"You wouldn't understand. This was something I was thinking about for a while. What happened on the train just finalized my decision." She explained.

"Oh, I'm sure. You mean how the White Fang is no longer the organization you thought it was, correct?" V replied, causing her to flinch. "You don't need to explain. Ghira and Kali told me how you remained in the Fang after the former stepped down as its leader. They said you were quite passionate in your beliefs."

Blake bit her lower lip and turned her gaze away from V. "I left because it's changed, and not for the better."

"I see..."

V said nothing more and looked away from her. He didn't think of her as a threat, but that didn't mean he would let his guard down. For all he knew, the White Fang in Menagerie had gotten in touch with their cell here in Vale and had her play the part of the defector, gain his trust and learn his secrets. He imagined she had a great many questions after what she encountered on the train, such as what the nightmare of Phantom was or who he was and what Griffon and Shadow were.

Not that he had any intention of answering such questions. She likely wouldn't believe him or think he was crazy.

_*growl~*_

V scowled as his stomach let out a gurgling rumble. It was apparently loud enough for Blake to hear and stare at him. "Was...that you?" She sounded almost incredulous.

"I haven't eaten anything since I left Menagerie."

"What?! How could you-? You mean you haven't even stopped somewhere to eat after leaving?!" Blake questioned incredulously.

V turned away, pointedly ignoring how Griffon was cackling in the confines in his mind.

For the record, he was not sulking. He did not sulk, and anyone who said otherwise was a filthy liar.

* * *

Whether she did it out of gratitude or some other reason, Blake Belladonna had left his side for only maybe twenty minutes or so before she returned with fresh game. She held up a few by the ears with their brown coats dyed red, none of them making so much as a twitch. After the rabbits were skinned and the meat was properly cleaned, using the water in V's cantine, dinner was served.

V had never tasted rabbit meat before, but his stomach was greatly appreciating the bounty presented in front of him. He savored each and every bite that came his way, all the while keeping a careful eye on Blake as she sat across from him eating her own meal. She had not spoken a word since she returned with food, but neither had she left her weapon out of sight. It was still on her person, ready to be used at a moment's notice.

He knew he had nothing to fear from her at this moment. She didn't seem to harbor any ill intentions at the moment, and the Grimm nor any other predator that roamed the woods of Forever Fall made their presence known, meaning they were safe.

Silence filled the air between them as they ate. The only sounds that echoed in the air were the crackling of the flames and the sounds of the wilderness around them.

_"Ugh, this is killing me!"_ Griffon complained. _"Will you say something to her already? I'm dying of boredom here, and if I have to sit here and watch you eat dead bunny, I think I'm going to go crazy!"_

Before V could make a response, Blake suddenly spoke up in a quiet tone. "How were they?"

"If you mean the rabbit, I have no complaints. I've had nothing to eat up until now after all."

She shook her head. "I mean, my parents. How are they? Are they doing okay?"

"They are doing well since I last saw them," V told her. "Ghira has been doing his best to ensure the people of Kuo Kuana live peacefully, with Kali being there to support them. I don't envy his job in the least."

Blake's smile was as sad as it was nostalgic. "That sounds like him. He always pushes himself too hard. Back when I was still living on the island, it was either mom or me that had to convince him to slow down, especially when things got rough."

"Regarding politics or trading?" V asked. "While I was in their care, he seemed to be in the middle of having an argument with someone on his Scroll."

"How much do you know about Menagerie?" she asked him.

V shrugged. "Only the barest minimum. After the Great War reached its end, the Faunus were rewarded for their contributions and efforts by being given a continent of their own to live and colonize. Some thought it was a fair reward, but everyone else saw it as a slap to the face and a spit on all the hard work Faunus had been striving towards, seeing as how the continent is two-thirds desert filled with hostile wildlife, nevermind the Grimm living there."

"You know you're history," Blake commented.

Considering he had no memories, much less any knowledge of the world he lived in, V had no choice but to take every book and tome he could to learn as much as possible about the past. While he was disappointed to learn that any and all history past the Great War (or rather the events that led up to it) was largely destroyed or forgotten as a result of the nobility and warmongers of Mantle and Mistral being so controlling and domineering that they would go so far as to erase a kingdom's culture if only to command their subjects better, learning some history was better than no history at all.

Some of what he learned was useless in the long run if because they provided textbook examples of war crimes, what not to do and what may eventually repeat itself in the present, other events such as the Great War and the impact of the Faunus lifestyle and general outlook were of great concern and importance.

Having lived in Menagerie for close to a month or so, V could understand why the people of Kuo Kuana were so wary of him when they learned he was living with the Belladonna family. He would be too if he learned just how much humanity seemed to stonewall them when all they've done is try and hold out their hands for peace. Not that he cared much for prejudice. So what if someone discriminated another just because of extra features? When you got down to it, there wasn't much difference between humans and Faunus. Both were stupid races who picked fights and started wars for the pettiest of reasons and they died all the same regardless of the causes.

Blake continued, "Even though the four Kingdoms promised that they would not interfere or meddle in Menagerie's affairs, that doesn't mean they won't get involved in some way. Even if two-thirds of Menagerie is just desert, it's still full of untapped resources and a safe haven for all Faunus who just want to get away from it all. Minerals, ores, earth metals, Dust and everything else in-between. And because Kuo Kuana gets by for its businesses and trading posts, human interactions are inevitable. Which, of course, leads to the obvious problems."

"Such as the typical unsavory sorts taking advantage and trying to con you out of your resources and money," V said. "That's hardly anything new, however."

"True, except one crucial fact: The White Fang was founded on Menagerie, _and it's still there_."

V frowned, not understanding what she was getting at at first. Then the realization hit him almost immediately afterwards and narrowed his eyes. "...they're afraid Kuo Kuana might raise an army?"

"It's an understandable fear, given what the White Fang has become," Blake looked at the ground in sadness. "Nowadays, people don't remember what the organization used to be. They don't remember how it was just peaceful protests and boycotts and rallies. When people think of the White Fang, they think of the men and women in masks who go around attacking anyone the think is abusing Faunus, attacking Dust cargo shipments and companies who possibly engage in Faunus slave labor. It doesn't matter whether my father is raising an army or not. Even if he weren't, people are still afraid." She let out a bitter laugh. "And why shouldn't they? Half of the people living there came to Menagerie because they're bitter. They're tired of being beaten and pushed around and just want to get away from it all. Start a new life."

"The kind of people the White Fang would swoop in to recruit, or so they fear..." V drummed his fingers along his cane's handle, humming deeply in thought. "Understandable, I suppose. Is that why you stayed with the White Fang, even though Sienna Khan chose force over benevolence?"

He watched the girl's hands curl into fists in her lap, eyes swirling with a myriad of emotions. "I stayed with the White Fang because I wanted to prove my father wrong. That even if Sienna was using violence to get the point across, we were still right. That we were proving that we are not animals!" Her voice rose at the end, but fell quiet as her burst of anger and frustration faded into melancholy. "But I was the one who was wrong at the end. The White Fang, it-it's not the same anymore."

V leaned against the tree behind him. "When did you realize?"

"It was a while ago when I saw my partner-" She stopped herself and grimaced. "My _former_ partner commit cruel acts without batting an eye. Those fears were solidified earlier on the train. He was going to set charges to blow it up, without any concern from the crew members." Blake sighed deeply as she hanged her head in shame, clearly angry at herself for having ignored the signs. "And it wasn't just him. For the longest time, I knew the White Fang had changed. I just turned a blind eye to it all, convinced myself that, even if things had changed, we were still in the right. That we were making a difference."

"But in the end, you realized you weren't," V stated. "All you were doing was more or less terrorism."

Blake smiled somberly. "That's putting it pretty kindly, don't you think?" V shrugged. All he was doing was speaking how he saw it all.

_Still, who would have thought that I'd run into Ghira and Kali's daughter like this?_

It was definitely one huge coincidence. The odds of meeting her in a situation like on the train was very slim. Well, at least he can inform Ghira and Kali that she seemed to be doing well at the moment the next he sees them.

"I don't suppose you know which way to go to get out of this place?" V decided to change the subject.

Blake paused as she was about to take a bite out of her meat and looked up thoughtfully. "The White Fang had regular patrols out here, but I know the routes. I can lead you out of here no problem, though I can't guarantee we won't run into any Grimm along the way.

"Much obliged."

"For the record, I still don't trust you."

V smiled wryly. "I'd be concerned if you did."

* * *

Morning arrived.

The campfire was extinguished and soaked in water to prevent the embers from lighting any potential fires. Whether by luck or something else, the Creatures of Grimm never happened upon them. Neither V or Blake let their guard down as they traveled through Forever Fall, the latter walking ahead with her weapon held in hand with the amnesiac man trailing close behind her.

"It'll be at least a few hours before we get close to Vale," Blake told him without turn to face him. "And that's assuming we don't run into trouble."

"Any chance of your old friends finding us?" V asked. While it wouldn't be the first time he killed Faunus trying to deal with him for whatever reason, he wasn't too keen on dealing with more trouble than it was worth.

She shook her head. "Not unless they deviate from their patrol routes. And since we're asking questions..."

"Let me guess, the overgrown arachnid, the cat and the parrot?"

Griffon squawked angrily. _"Seriously, V! You're cruisin' for a bruisin'!"_

"You called that big spider a demon. Is that what it was and not a Grimm?"

V nodded. "Unless you know of a spider Grimm of that size and capable of talking."

Blake's ears flattened against her head. "No I don't. I mean, that thing had a scorpion tail. The closest I would associate it would be a giant Deathstalker, but even then that's pushing it. Just what are they?"

"If you're trying to obtain an answer yourself, I'm afraid you're asking the wrong person. I'm just as much in the dark as you are as to what they are specifically."

"And yet you distinguish them as demons and are seeking them out somehow? Why?"

"Because they are the closest thing I have to regaining my lost past." He answered. "That's all I can say on the matter."

That, and he doubted she would believe him if he told her that they were the living incarnations of his worst memories. Blake briefly looked over her shoulder and clearly wanted to know more, but she wisely chose to drop the subject altogether.

It wasn't until close to half an hour had passed that V abruptly stopped. Blake paused and turned around to face him. "Hey, what's the matter?"

She saw his expression and grew concerned. His eyes were cold and sharp, searching their surroundings while his fingers coiled tightly around his cane. Seeing this, she understood why when she realized she did not hear anything. Not the sounds of Grimm or the whispers of the forest. Not a peep.

"...the forest is never this quiet," she said slowly. "Grimm?"

V twirled his cane in his hand. "I'm afraid it's a tad worse than that." Griffon manifested from his body and flew to his side, sparks cackling across his wings. Blake stared in shock, clearly not expecting the bird to appear from him like that. "Quite a foul stench, wouldn't you say?"

"No shit, smells like months old garbage left out in the hot sun," Griffon grunted. "It ain't Phantom, but if I had to guess, they smelled him after you roasted his ass and came running. Tch, just what we need." Griffon glared at his host. "This ain't gonna be like with those humans or the Grimm. Aura or no aura, they ain't gonna heal from the wounds we gave 'em, and Grimm don't have souls, so we're free to kill 'em however we want. These assholes? Not so much. YOU gotta be the one to give 'em the final blow, got it, Shakespeare?"

"W-wait, what are you talking about?!" Blake demanded. "_What's_ coming?!"

V would have answered her, but he didn't feel the need to do so. Not when their quarry revealed themselves by crawling out from the black pits that formed in the shades of the forest treetops cast upon the ground. It was like watching ants burrow out from the earth and into the surface, but the ants in question were not Grimm. In fact, the black monstrosities that hounded humanity for years would have been preferable if the look of disgust and dread that formed on Blake's face was of any indication.

The demons before them resemble ants, with a small abdomen and a large head equipped with pincers. On closer inspection, its head had three distinct human faces; two fleshy and with glowing eyes, either side of a central face with hollow eye sockets with an exposed jaw with sharp teeth incorporated into the demon's mandibles. What appear to be vestigial human hands were seen on their forelimbs and feet on their rear limbs. On their back were tiny feathered wings, but whether they served any purpose or were for decoration, he couldn't say for sure.

Scattered and scarce as V's memories were, the demons easily registered in his mind: possibly what little information he retained thanks to his contract with Griffon.

"**Empusa**. The lowliest of bottom feeders," V glared. "Lucky for us, I suppose."

"Yeah, but why the hell are they here?" Griffon asked in confusion. "These ugly little bastards only show up when there's a Qliphoth tree, and last I checked, I don't see no demonic plank of wood anywhere nearby!"

The Empusa let out a chitering squeal, its mandibles clicking and making noises that were horribly unpleasant. Blake visibly squirmed just listening to them while V felt as though his ears would bleed.

"Questions will have to wait." Shadow danced forward and stood at his side, bearing its fangs while its form rippled. V smiled viciously as he aimed his cane at the amassing demons. "Now... _Little wanderer, hie thee home_!"

* * *

**And into my garden stole,  
****when the night had veil'd the pole;  
****In the morning glad I see...  
****my foe outstretched beneath the tree.**

* * *

_V's Journal_

**Demon Analysis**

Empusa are one of the lowest ranking demons in the Underworld, though unlike the rest of the weaker creatures in their weight class, they're purpose isn't to fight. It is more accurate to say that they are bees searching for honey to bring back to the hive. They typically appear in the human world when a Qliphoth tree has started to spread its roots so that it can provide the tree nourishment. The fact that they've begun to appear makes me wonder, has a Qliphoth tree started to grow somewhere in the human world?

They're rather easy to kill since they don't typically engage in combat, but the bastards more than make up for it in terms of sheer number.

**Persons of Interest**

_Blake Belladonna_

The daughter of the chieftan of Kuo Kuana and founder of the White Fang, Blake Belladonna has chosen to leave the organization behind after growing disgusted by what it has become. She appears to have a strong sense of morals, but I also sense hesitation and doubt, perhaps some fear. It's clear she has some level of lingering attachment to the White Fang, but how much of that is because it was originally her father's organization is unclear.

I first met Blake Belladonna when she and her partner, Adam Taurus, boarded a train carrying cargo for the Schnee Dust Company, no doubt intending to steal its cargo. After my failed attempt in defeating the nightmare of Phantom, she offered her assistance in helping me escape the depths of the Forever Fall forest, though she makes it clear that I'm someone to be kept under a watchful eye. Time will tell if she is either an ally or an enemy of mine.

* * *

**A/N**: Holy crap, it's finally updated! And I'm back! ...for however short a time that might be. I'm finally able to register for classes again! Seriously too many fucking people! I get it, covid and all man, but jesus christ it took me a whole month just to sign up! It's fucking bullshit!

Rant aside, we're here with chapter of RWBY ~ Memories of V! As usual, special thanks go to Daemon of Wrath for helping me out and taking the time out of his busy schedule to help me get this out to you all. And this chapter, we're finally getting to introduce demons into Remnant proper, and who better to start us off than the mooks of Devil May Cry 5!

The Empusa, as stated in the game's wiki and in the game, are pretty much hellish insects who provide the Qliphoth tree with nourishment so it can grow. In other words, blood. Right now, the tree is feeding off of the Grimm spawning pools, which while acceptable food is a "poor substitute" as Urizen says it is in Chapter 2. And obviously, it's going to take a very long time for the tree to grow since its not sequestered in a bustling city like Redgrave where there are dozens of humans ripe for the tree to eat and all that.

For the record, though, I'm going to just say this: There are NOT going to be any pairings for this story (aside from Ren/Nora which is pretty fucking obvious if you ask me), namely because, well, I've gotten really tired of all the romance shenanigans of RWBY. Seriously, all the shipping wars have really started to wear me down, not to mention with how toxic the RWBY fanbase has been getting lately. Hell, that whole debacle with the art contest was just...wow. Seriously. The amount of hate RT got from it for perfectly understandable reasons is insane.

I miss the days when RWBY didn't have such a fucking toxic fanbase.

Back to my point, yeah, there will be no pairings, so sorry to disappoint anyone who might have been expecting V to be paired with Blake.

One last thing before I go. For the asshats who have been bugging me for months asking if Seventh Heaven is being continued.

**YES IT IS BEING CONTINUED, AND SO HELP ME GOD, IF ONE MORE OF YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES ASKS ME "IS THIS STORY DEAD" OR "ARE YOU CONTINUING THIS" I WILL DELETE IT OUT OF SPITE. THAT IS HOW FED UP I AM. DO _NOT_ FUCK WITH ME RIGHT NOW.**

...okay, I'm done with my warning~ I'll see you all in the next chappy~

See you~


End file.
